


The Case of the Philandering Husband

by CheynneT



Category: Last Tango In Halifax
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-07
Updated: 2016-08-04
Packaged: 2018-06-06 21:49:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 59,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6771553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CheynneT/pseuds/CheynneT
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dr Caroline Elliot suspects that her husband, John, is having an affair so she hires a private investigator, Kate McKenzie to find out for sure. A Kate and Caroline AU story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was a slow day in the office of "McKenzie Investigations". Kate McKenzie, the owner and chief private investigator….the only private investigator… attached to the business, had completed all of her jobs and filed all her paperwork for the week so far. The only job left to do was to untangle the paperclips.  
As Kate gave serious thought to the idea of closing up early for the day and going home or perhaps catching a movie at the local cinema, she caught sight of a woman standing on the footpath outside her shop front. It seemed to her that she was having difficulty deciding whether or not to actually come in. Kate's natural instincts as a private investigator kicked in as she observed her closely through the glass window and, rightly or wrongly, made some assumptions. She guessed that the woman was in her early to mid-forties. The carefully-tailored clothes led Kate to think that she was probably a professional of some description and there was something about her, a slightly haughty air perhaps, which told Kate that she was a woman of intellect, someone who is used to being in charge. Then she stepped in front of the door and out of Kate's line of vision.  
A few seconds later the door opened and the woman tentatively entered the small office. What Kate hadn't been able to fully appreciate when this woman was outside but she could see very clearly now was how stunningly beautiful she was. It had been a long time since someone this breath-taking had walked into Kate's office or life. Kate's eyes didn't know where to look first. She had the most incredible legs which were enhanced even further by ridiculously sexy high heels; her eyes were a piercing blue that made Kate just want to dive into them and her hair was a shock of shoulder length natural blonde.  
Realising that she must have been staring, Kate gave her head a quick shake to clear her thoughts and regain her composure. She placed the jacket that she had been about to put on back over the chair and gave the woman a friendly, inviting smile as she approached her. The blonde noticed Kate and took a few more steps further into the room.  
"Sorry…"the woman said nervously, "are you still open for business?"  
"We certainly are…..when I say 'we' I mean 'me'….I was about to close the shop and head off….I have a couple of cases I'm working on at the moment," Kate lied, " but you're here now so, yes, I am open for business."  
Kate realised she was beginning to ramble, not something she was usually prone to, but this woman seemed to unravel her a bit. She then backtracked and introduced herself to the potential customer.  
"I'm Kate McKenzie. How can I help you?" she said as she reached out and politely shook the woman's hand, noticing the softness of her fair skin but also the strength of her grip.  
"McKenzie? As in McKenzie Investigations? Are you the private investigator?" the woman asked, a note of surprise in her voice.  
Kate nodded. She was used to what was to come next.  
"Oh…for some reason I was expecting a man...how stupid of me…. I'm sorry."  
"Don't be," Kate laughed, "you're not the first to assume that and you probably won't be the last."  
"Actually, I'm glad you're a woman," Caroline stated bluntly, "I think I prefer to talk to a woman about this matter rather than a man."  
"Would you like to sit down and tell me exactly what it is I can do for you?" Kate asked as she indicated towards her desk with its two chairs.  
The woman made her way to Kate's desk, pulled out one of the chairs and sat with her back straight, her shoulders squared and her jaw set firmly. Kate took up her position on the opposite side of the small desk.  
"Um…I didn't quite catch your name," Kate said hoping for an introduction.  
"Oh, sorry…I'm a bit nervous about all of this. I don't know if I'm doing the right thing or not by considering hiring a private investigator….I'm Caroline Elliot….Dr Caroline Elliot."  
Kate wrote the name down on her note pad.  
"That's with two 'l's and one 't'."  
Kate scratched out the second 't'.  
"Okay, Dr Elliot, if you would like to outline the problem for me, I can tell you if I can be of help or not."  
As she spoke, Kate had to make a conscious effort not to get caught in the gaze of the startling blue eyes but they were like magnets drawing her own brown eyes to them.  
The woman began speaking softly, obviously having difficulty coming to terms with her problem.  
"I think my husband is having an affair," she finally revealed. "I've been going to just ask him outright about it but I don't have any real proof and ….anyway, he'd probably deny it and I don't think I would believe him if he did. I feel guilty not trusting him but…."Her voice petered out as she was unsure what to say next.  
Despite Dr Elliot's outward appearance of confidence and strength, Kate could sense that she was feeling quite lost and vulnerable.  
"What makes you think that he's having an affair?" Kate asked gently.  
After a moment of internal deliberation, Dr Elliot answered, "I'm not sure really….that's why I feel a little foolish being here…it's mainly just a gut feeling I have. He's away a lot with his job…he's a lecturer and a writer and goes off to various conferences…and he's been regularly getting home much later than usual recently. Each time, he has a perfectly plausible explanation ….I don't know…I'm not sure I should be doing this."  
Dr Elliot made to get up and leave but Kate reached across the desk and put her own hand lightly on the woman's forearm.  
"Dr Elliot, can I tell you that most of my clients say the same thing and usually their instincts are right…and if they're not…well, no harm has been done," Kate reassured her, "my investigation is strictly between you and me unless you decide otherwise."  
Caroline sat down again as Kate continued.  
"You strike me as an intelligent person…not one prone to panic …so I wouldn't be surprised if you are onto something. Please, don't feel foolish."  
The woman gave Kate a small, uncertain smile.  
"If you would like me to take up the case, I'll take some details and make some quick notes now and tomorrow I'll set out a formal contract," Kate explained, "and then if you could come back tomorrow afternoon at a time convenient for you and sign the contract, we can begin."  
Dr Elliot considered things for a moment and then asked, "How much will it cost? How do you charge?"  
Kate leaned forward slightly in her chair, one hand resting in the other on the desk.  
"It's an hourly rate of £40. At the end of each week I will give you an invoice detailing the work done and there's an advance of £200."  
Again the woman took some time to think things through before nodding her agreement.  
"Right then…let me get some information down."  
Kate picked up her pen, opened to a clean page on her note book and then proceeded to jot down some essential information; firstly, the basic details such as address, contact numbers and the like and then some details about the actual case and, in particular, Dr Elliot's husband. Normally, Kate would enter this information straight onto her computer and have the contract ready to sign almost immediately but she found herself wanting to see this woman again very soon so the excuse of getting her back to complete the contract the next day was the best thing Kate could come up with on the spur of the moment.  
Another half an hour later Kate had all the details she needed to get the contract made up and the case underway but she was reluctant to have her leave.  
"When you come in tomorrow to sign the contract, could you bring in a recent photograph of your husband, please?" Kate asked.  
Sensing that the business was done, Dr Elliot nodded and then stood, leaned across the desk slightly and shook Kate's hand once again in a parting gesture. Instead of releasing her hand, Kate, who had never been backwards in coming forward, held on a bit longer.  
As she continued to hold on, Dr Elliot asked with an amused grin on her face, "Are we finished?"  
"Yes, we are," Kate replied, finally releasing the woman's hand, "but I was wondering if you would be interested in joining me for a drink? There's a lovely, little pub just around the corner….we could go and have a drink and you could tell me a bit more about the case in a less formal atmosphere…or we could talk about something completely different."  
Kate could see her thinking it over and was prepared for her to refuse the invitation but she could see no harm in asking anyway.  
"Sure…why not?" Dr Elliot finally answered, "I think I'd quite like some company and I could certainly do with a strong drink."  
Unbeknown to Kate, her new client had also been experiencing the same strong attraction. She found Kate's easy, no-nonsense manner and self-confidence mixed with a kind touch, not to mention the seductiveness of her beautiful smile, all very appealing.  
"Mmmm...She's very pretty," the woman thought..  
"Fantastic," Kate replied, perhaps a little too enthusiastically before she could restrain herself and as she added to herself, “You are magnificent.”  
Kate grabbed her jacket and satchel, set the security system on, turned off some lights and headed for the door. When they were both outside, she locked the door behind them and led the way to the pub which was a mere five minute walk away.  
Once they arrived, Kate approached the bar and bought them each a drink, a merlot for Dr Elliot as requested and a gin and tonic for herself. They settled themselves comfortably into a booth some distance away from the more raucous customers.  
"Cheers, Dr Elliot," Kate said as she raised her glass.  
"Please…if you're going to drink with me call me 'Caroline'," the woman insisted, "'Dr Elliot' is for the students at my school."  
"Cheers, Caroline."  
They chinked their glasses and then each woman, for different reasons, took a long swig of their drink.  
After Caroline had already let it slip that she was a teacher, Kate asked, "What school are you at?"  
"I'm the Head Teacher at Sulgrave Heath Independent School," Caroline replied a little self-consciously.  
Kate gave a soft, low whistle. "Impressive."  
Caroline blushed slightly at the compliment.  
"And what kind of books does this husband of yours write?"  
"He writes novels….crime novels," Caroline replied.  
Kate shook her head. "I can't say that I've heard of him. Is he any good?"  
"He had a couple of best sellers but that was several years ago. He hasn't written anything noteworthy for a while now….his brain is too addled with alcohol I suspect."  
Kate noted the enmity of this last comment.  
The two women talked casually for some time, keeping to relatively safe topics. Kate discovered that Caroline had two teenage boys and that the elder, William, was hoping to follow in his mother's footsteps by going to Oxford, while the other son was not as academically brilliant but was very good at sports. She also found out that Caroline's widowed mother was getting remarried at the age of 75 to a long, lost love.  
When they finished their first drink, Caroline went to the bar and bought a second round despite the fact that she had promised herself she would only have one and then be off. However, she found herself to be feeling more relaxed than she had in months just talking with Kate.  
It was as they were finishing their second drink that Caroline asked Kate, "Are you married?"  
Kate took her time in answering. It had been quite a while since she'd given her married days any thought.  
"I was….but I'm not now," she replied simply.  
"What happened? Did he have an affair?…..Sorry," Caroline apologised, realising she had possibly crossed a line. "You don't have to answer that."  
"No…it's fine, Caroline. I don't mind talking about it; it's just that it seems like a whole other life time ago. I haven't thought about it for ages," Kate explained, "and no, he didn't have an affair…I did…with a woman."  
Caroline's eyes opened wide in surprise. "With a woman?"  
Once Kate had come to terms with her sexuality many years ago, she had promised herself that she would never lie about who she was.  
"Yes…a woman. You'd be surprised by the number of lesbians out there that have been married at some stage or other in their lives."  
Caroline went quiet as she studied her glass.  
"Have I shocked you?" Kate asked.  
"Yes…no…I'm a bit surprised…I hadn't thought of you as being…like that ….but it doesn't worry me in the least," Caroline garbled.  
"It's getting late," Caroline then noted as she looked at her watch, "I probably need to be heading off. The boys will be wondering where I am."  
Kate didn't believe she was being paranoid when she thought it was more than a coincidence that Caroline had to suddenly leave so soon after Kate had revealed to her that she was gay.  
Both women drained their glasses, stood and walked towards the doorway. While they had been inside it had started to rain and it was continuing to fall as they were about to leave. Kate quickly ducked back inside and borrowed an umbrella from behind the bar and then returned to Caroline. She opened the umbrella and the two of them huddled under it as they walked back to Kate's office. Feeling Caroline's body so close to her own made Kate wish her office was a lot further away.  
As they reached the shop front and were about to say their good-byes, Kate felt a strong desire to kiss the lovely Dr Elliot…hell, who was she kidding? She'd wanted to kiss her since she'd first seen her enter her office but then Kate's sensible side kicked in. This was business, she told herself…much-needed business…she had bills to pay…she couldn't afford to scare off new customers because she had the urge to kiss them and, besides, she'd seen Caroline's reaction to her being a lesbian…what was she thinking? Using all her willpower, Kate refrained and instead she said, "I'll see you tomorrow afternoon to sign that contract."  
Before Kate could even register what was happening, she suddenly felt her face being cupped by Caroline's soft hands and the woman's beautiful lips pressing against her own. She then felt Caroline's tongue teasing hers for several precious moments but all too soon for Kate's liking, the kiss had ended.  
"Will four o'clock suit you?" Caroline asked innocently as their lips parted.  
Kate nodded mutely, her power of speech seemingly gone with the kiss. Caroline gave her the most seductive of smiles before heading the short distance to her car. Kate stood in her doorway, still mesmerised by what had happened and wondering how she was going to get through until four o'clock the next day.


	2. Chapter 2

Four o'clock the next afternoon came and went but there was no sign of Dr Elliot….Caroline.  
Kate had spent most of the night tossing and turning as she attempted to find sleep but her mind kept playing Caroline's kiss over and over again on a continuous loop, presenting her with her own personal slideshow of the gorgeous Dr Elliot….the cerulean eyes, the shapely legs, the ample breasts, the dusting of freckles on her cheeks. Eventually, in the early hours of the morning, Kate gave up on sleep and instead, she decided to dress and go for a rare morning walk. Usually she preferred to leave getting up to the very last minute. The sun had only been up for a couple of hours so the air was still biting and crisp. Kate rugged herself up well and set off, unsure of where she was headed exactly but needing to clear her mind.  
After almost an hour of walking quite aimlessly but at a steady pace, Kate returned to her little flat above her office. When she had first signed the lease on the office space more than two years ago now, the main feature that had 'sold' it to her was the fact that the lease included the modest but comfortable flat upstairs which was where Kate now resided. It was quite small but fully self-contained and suited to her needs perfectly. She could access the flat using the external stairs at the rear of the building or via the internal staircase in the back of the office.  
Kate let herself in and headed straight for a hot shower. She then prepared a basic breakfast after which she decided she should probably go into her office and get started on some work. Kate knew that she needed to keep herself busy today so that the hours before four o'clock weren't too tedious.  
Usually the task of getting dressed for the day took minimal time and effort … a pair of jeans, a collared, long-sleeved shirt and a jacket over the top….but today Kate fussed through several sets of clothes, discarding a number of items of clothing, before deciding on a pair of smart, black trousers and a crisp white shirt. Once she was satisfied that she looked quite presentable, Kate made her way down to her office.  
Her first job for the day, of course, was to transfer all the information Dr Elliot….Caroline…had given her onto one of her standard contract forms ready for the woman to sign later in the afternoon, after all, it was the surreptitious excuse for her to come back. Once it was done, Kate printed off a copy of the contract and placed it in an official-looking folder and left it on the centre of her desk. She then saved all the information Caroline had given her so far in a folder on her computer and backed it up.  
With nothing more pressing to do and the thought of Caroline firmly entrenched in her mind, Kate proceeded to see what else she could find out for herself about both Caroline and John Elliot. She typed the name 'John Elliot' into her search engine first and immediately came up with a short list of sites about Caroline's husband but, after a quick skim through the various bits of information, found nothing particularly useful apart from the university where he taught in York and a map showing the building where his office was located. There was a small bit of waffle about his two books that had made the 'Best Seller' list a while back now but, after reading the blurb on them, Kate decided that neither book captured her interest. The most interesting thing Kate did find was a photo of John which she studied closely for both professional and personal reasons. Kate supposed that he could be considered quite handsome and he had a charismatic air about him perhaps but, in the end, she came to the conclusion that he was probably a complete tosser, although she was willing to concede that her opinion could possibly be tainted or somewhat skewed.  
Kate then entered Caroline's name into the search engine of her computer. In a matter of seconds, a comprehensive compilation of material on Sulgrave Heath Independent Public School and a very formal photo of Dr Caroline Elliot DPhil, MEd, the Head Teacher, in her academic gown appeared on her screen. Although only a photo, Caroline's intelligent eyes seemed to peer out at Kate, taking her breath away yet again. She scrolled through the information on Caroline which included her experience as a teacher and administrator, academic achievements and philosophy on education. It was all a bit dry and not what Kate was really interested in but it helped to put together the puzzle that was Caroline Elliot, the woman who was making Kate's head swoon.  
Gazing at this woman on her computer screen was not helping the time pass more quickly…Kate needed a distraction…something entirely unrelated to the case and to Caroline to help her take her mind off the gorgeous blonde as there were still several hours to go until four o'clock and before she would see her again.  
Kate decided that it was time to totally overhaul her filing system. It was a job that she'd been meaning to do for many months now but the enormity of the task had discouraged her so she'd put off doing it. Now she attacked the job with relish knowing that it would take at least two hours off her day. Kate rolled up her sleeves and proceeded to go through and carefully check each and every file, discarding all the unwanted files for shredding while sorting and refiling those she needed to keep.  
Almost three hours later, Kate stood back to admire her achievement – a large pile of files to be destroyed and three neatly organised filing cabinets. As she did this she noticed that her hands and the clothes she had so carefully chosen that morning were now covered in dust and grime…she needed to shower and change.  
Kate temporarily locked up her office and dashed upstairs. A decent, clean pair of jeans and a not-too-crumpled blouse amongst the discarded clothing from the morning's effort were the best she could do. She then took a quick shower.  
While she was upstairs, Kate also made herself a sandwich which she took back down to her office to eat. As she sat at her desk with her sandwich, Kate allowed herself to yet again replay the events of the previous evening over in her mind until she was startled from her daydreaming by the ringing of her mobile phone. Kate looked at the screen to identify the caller and then answered it. It was a local branch of an insurance agency that occasionally employed her to carry out investigations on suspect clients. Kate immediately slipped into business mode as she jotted down details and asked pertinent questions. Half an hour later she had all the information she needed and another job to help pay the bills.  
As the afternoon crept on, Kate's eyes snuck yet another look at the clock for perhaps the hundredth time that day and to her relief it showed only a few minutes until four o'clock. She did a final check of her emails, quickly tidied her desk and ran a judgemental eye over her office…all was good. Kate could feel her heart beat begin to quicken in anticipation of what the afternoon might bring once Caroline stepped through her door. It surprised her how much she was looking forward to seeing the woman again. The last time she had felt this excited, Kate recalled, was probably way back when she was at high school and the girl who she'd had a huge crush on for months had taken her by the hand after choir practice, led her off to a secluded alcove and kissed her fully on the lips and reached her hand under Kate's blouse. Unfortunately, when Kate attempted to make more of the relationship, it had all ended in tears. Kate was hoping that this meeting wouldn't have the same fate.  
As the hands on her office clock moved forward and showed 4:20pm, Caroline had not yet appeared and Kate's excitement steadily turned to anxiousness. Why wasn't she here? Was she alright? Perhaps she'd been involved in an accident. However, by 5:00pm Kate's anxiety had become bitter disappointment. Perhaps she'd had second thoughts about hiring an investigator to check up on her husband or maybe she regretted the previous evening's kiss and was too embarrassed to turn up. Whatever the reason, Kate decided that the woman was not coming. She reluctantly set about closing up for the day and contemplated going around to the pub and drowning her disappointment in a few drinks.  
While Kate was fumbling through the keys on her key ring for the one to lock the front door, her eye caught a glimpse of a figure passing outside, then there was a light knock at the door. She held her breath in hope as, without hesitation, she opened it and found herself looking straight into the magnificent blue of Dr Caroline Elliot's eyes.  
"Oh, thank goodness…I thought I'd missed you," Caroline said with a sigh of relief as she stepped into the office and stood barely centimetres from Kate whose mood had swung from the depths of disappointment to extreme exhilaration in the blink of an eye.  
"I'm sorry I'm so late…there was an 'incident' at school this afternoon and I had to deal with it straight away and it took some sorting out," Caroline explained apologetically, all the while maintaining her close proximity to Kate, "and I find that I don't have your phone number which is a matter we should rectify as soon as possible."  
"That's alright…Caroline," Kate replied, struggling to regain her composure, "I've been quite busy today and I've only just realised myself how late it is."  
Caroline smiled knowingly as though she sensed that Kate was lying through her teeth.  
"Excuse me…" Caroline said softly and then raised a hand to Kate's face to gently brush away a stray eyelash from the investigator's cheek, allowing her fingers to trail lightly along Kate's jaw as she did so.  
The touch sent a rush of tiny, electric shockwaves to Kate's core.  
"Do you have that contract for me to sign?" Caroline asked, a barely perceptible smile on her face as she took in the effect her touch had had on the private investigator.  
"Yes, I do….it's on my desk," Kate eventually answered.  
Kate walked over to her desk, sat in her chair and opened the folder containing the contract. She used her pen to then mark with a small cross the places that needed a signature. She had expected the woman to sit in the chair opposite her to sign but, instead, Caroline came around the desk and stood beside Kate, her right hand resting on the back of Kate's chair while she leant over and took the pen with her left, deliberately brushing Kate's fingers as she did so. As Caroline leaned over, their bodies so close Kate could feel the strands of blonde hair sweeping her cheek; she inhaled the subtle, seductive scent of Caroline's perfume.  
"There, done." Caroline announced as she finished signing and put the pen back down on the desk with a dramatic flourish.  
Suddenly it was all too much for Kate….the torturous wait, the electrifying closeness and touches, the expensive perfume. This time it was Kate who took the initiative. She plunged her hands into Caroline's silken hair and drew the woman's mouth close to her own. Any reservedness Kate had felt up till now fell by the wayside as she captured Caroline's delicate bottom lip in her mouth, biting it gently. Caroline responded with a barely audible moan then she pulled back for a moment. Kate could see the look of pure lust in Caroline's eyes. With one sweeping movement of her hand, Caroline cleared the top of Kate's desk of any impediments and then manoeuvred her onto it. She tore impatiently at Kate's shirt buttons and ran her hands roughly over the dark, exposed torso taking in its beauty and smoothness. Their lips pressed together urgently and each captured the others' tongue in a sensual dance.  
"We can't do this here," Kate managed to say, her breath ragged, as she indicated to the windows which exposed them to anyone who bothered to look in.  
Caroline stopped for a moment, almost past caring if people could see or not, and asked, "Where can we go that's close by?"  
"My flat is upstairs," Kate answered but then she remembered the state she had left her bedroom in that morning. "Can you give me two minutes to go upstairs and straighten up? There's some highly sensitive material lying out that I should really put away."  
Caroline nodded.  
Kate raced up the stairs and into the bedroom. Manically, she picked up the various items of scattered clothing and flung them into the wardrobe and out of sight. When she was satisfied that the room was presentable she dashed back down the stairs only slowing to a more normal pace at the bottom of the staircase. However, as Kate re-entered her office she saw that it was empty. Caroline had gone. On her desk, beside the signed contract, there was now £200, the advance for the investigation, a recent photo of John and a scribbled note saying, "I have to go." The only thing that remained of Caroline was the faint waft of her perfume.


	3. Chapter 3

"What the f…..! What was this woman playing at?" Kate wondered as she stood in her office, her dishevelled blouse still open and her emotions fluctuating wildly between anger, frustration and bewilderment.  
"Well, whatever it is, I'm not about to join in," Kate muttered sternly to herself as she went about picking up the things that Caroline had swept onto the floor, replacing them back on her desk in an orderly fashion. She also located the three buttons that had been torn off, in the hurried throes of lust, from her blouse. She put them in her the pocket ready to sew them back on later. Kate then put the £200 that Caroline had left, in her cash box.  
When Kate was satisfied that her desk was sorted, she locked the front door and went up the stairs to her flat, determined to do whatever it took to get Caroline Elliot out of her mind. As she trudged up each step, Kate tried to recall if she had a sufficient supply of red wine on hand.  
In her bedroom, Kate took off the blouse that was now stripped of most of its buttons and slung it over the back of the single chair that was in the room which is where it would remain until she had the urge or the need to mend it. In its place she put on her favourite, well-worn sweatshirt.  
Kate went into the kitchen, turning on the television on her way, more as a distraction than out of actual interest and then headed directly for the cupboard where she kept her stock of red wine. She was dismayed to see that her supply had dwindled down to only two bottles. She selected one of them, took one of the larger wine glasses down from the shelf and proceeded to pour into it a generous amount of the red liquid, hoping that it would help quell the whirlpool of emotions she was experiencing.  
Kate then rummaged in the refrigerator for any leftovers that could be loosely called 'dinner'. Eventually she took a roast beef sandwich and her glass of wine into the living room where she sat cross-legged on her well-used sofa in front of the television and ate, all the while attempting to keep the afternoon's events from hammering inside her head.  
It was as Kate was topping up her wine glass for the second time that, to her surprise, there was a tentative knock on her door. Leaving her glass on the kitchen bench top, Kate took the three or four steps needed to get to her back door and opened it. For the second time that day Kate found herself peering into the blue depths of Caroline Elliot's eyes.  
"Hello Kate….Can I come in?" Caroline asked hesitantly.  
Totally caught off balance by this woman's unexpected appearance, Kate said nothing. Instead she let out a quick sigh of defeat as all the feelings she had been trying to suppress came rushing to the surface.  
"I can say it on the doorstep," Caroline said anxiously.  
Getting only a frown from Kate and still no words of encouragement, Caroline reluctantly said, "Alright….I'll go."  
As the woman turned to leave Kate gathered her wits about her.  
"No…come in…come in,” Kate finally said as she stepped aside and beckoned Caroline into her tiny kitchen where she offered her a glass of red wine which Caroline gratefully accepted.   
Kate reached down a second wine glass from the cupboard and poured, all the while uncomfortably conscious of those blue eyes observing her every move. When both glasses contained a large splash of red wine Kate led Caroline to the small dining table and invited her to sit down and then took the seat opposite for herself. Both women sipped their wine as each collected their thoughts.  
"Why are you here? Kate eventually asked with an undisguised abruptness as the hurt from the afternoon's desertion was still raw.  
Caroline stared pensively at her wine glass for a moment while her fingers fiddled with its stem before looking up into Kate’s stern face.  
"I've come back to say that I'm sorry that I left in such a hurry this afternoon…..I feel awful that I didn't tell you that I had to leave," Caroline began, obviously at a bit of a loss for words to explain her actions.  
Kate stubbornly refused to help her out. Instead, she sat silently indicating with a raised eyebrow that she was waiting for Caroline to expound further.  
"While you were upstairs Lawrence, my son, called me….John was supposed to pick him up from rugby training this afternoon but he hadn't turned up and Lawrence couldn't contact him so he rang me….everyone else had gone home and he'd been waiting almost an hour."  
"That's fine, Caroline, but why didn't you tell me that you were going?" Kate asked unconvinced that Caroline had given her a full explanation.  
"I guess I just panicked….I panicked about Lawrence…..I panicked about what was potentially happening with you and me…I won't lie to you, Kate. I am very attracted to you," Caroline continued nervously, "but I don't …I can't do casual relationships…sex. Sometimes, like this afternoon, I wish that I could…but, being me, I can't. I'm still married after all, albeit to a complete jerk, but to me that means something and I have to think of the boys."  
Kate gave Caroline a wry smile.  
"So let me get this straight…you're in charge of a rather prestigious public school and have the welfare of more than 850 students in your hands on a daily basis, or so I read this morning, and yet what happened this afternoon made you panic and take off without a single word to me," Kate stated incredulously. Caroline's eyes dropped to stare at her wine glass once again.  
"Yes," she replied simply.  
"So why start something you can't finish?" Kate asked with a tinge of annoyance in her voice. "It was you who started this…It was you who kissed me first if I remember rightly. Why lead me on like that?"  
Embarrassed, Caroline confessed, "As I said, I am attracted to you…you're very pretty and you're kind… I'd had a couple of drinks so I was feeling brave…I thought it would be harmless enough."  
Kate began to feel a little foolish as she realised how hard she had fallen for this woman in such a short time when obviously she had been reading far too much into Caroline's actions.  
"It was harmless, Caroline," Kate lied, "but I think it's best if we keep it strictly business from now on."  
"Yes, you're right," Caroline agreed reluctantly.  
She was struggling to keep the disappointment out of her voice as she recalled from the afternoon the feel of Kate's smooth, brown skin against the palm of her hand and Kate's full lips pressing against her own.  
As Caroline took the last sip of wine from her glass she said to Kate, "I should probably get going. John will be wondering where I am."  
"Do you have to go?"  
Caroline looked at Kate curiously.  
"It's just I'd like to start working on your case tomorrow," Kate clarified, "but I need some more details…John's routine, his itinerary for the next few days and so on, so if you could stay a bit longer I could get the information I need to begin."  
Caroline looked at her watch. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to stay a little longer."  
Ideally Kate would have liked to have dashed down to her office to retrieve her computer to record the information on but she had the ominous feeling that Caroline might disappear again if left alone so she settled for a notepad and pen which she found on the small desk in the corner of the living room. Kate returned to the table via the kitchen as she fetched the second bottle of wine and refilled their glasses then she proceeded to ask Caroline some relevant questions about her errant husband. She wrote down details about John's daily activities and timetable, places he was likely to visit, favourite restaurants and cafes, friends' names as well as details about his car and registration number, all the while, acutely aware of the disturbingly pleasurable effect Caroline's presence was having on her but obstinately maintaining her business-like persona.  
It was another half an hour before Kate was satisfied that she had enough details to begin her task.  
"I think that's all I need for now, thanks, Caroline," Kate concluded as she closed her notepad and set it aside, "I should be right to get started on that first thing tomorrow. I'll probably contact you about the middle of the week with a progress report ….sooner, of course, if there are any significant developments. Here's my business card should you need to contact me with any new information."  
Kate reached over and handed Caroline one of her cards, their fingers touching lightly as the card exchanged hands.  
"It might be an idea to keep that card out of sight," Kate added, "we don't want John catching on to us."  
"Of course," Caroline agreed as she stood up to leave. "Thank you."  
Kate walked Caroline to the door and opened it for her.  
Before Caroline made her way down the steps, she turned to Kate and said once again, "I really am sorry about running out this afternoon….it was a bit cowardly."  
Kate dismissed it with a wave of her hand.  
"It's forgotten," she said.  
Caroline gave her a beaming smile as she said softly, "Are you sure?"  
Caroline had stayed that one second too long and the smile had been the final unravelling of Kate's willpower. She cupped the blonde woman's cheeks in her hands and drew their lips together in what rapidly became a fervent kiss as Kate gently but firmly pressed Caroline up against the door. Kate had half expected Caroline to object but her enthusiasm was as ardent as Kate's. She stealthily slipped a hand under Caroline's blouse and ran it wantonly over any bare flesh she could find. She then moved her hand up to Caroline's breast and gamely ran her thumb across Caroline's already firm nipple.  
As suddenly as Kate had begun the kiss, she ended it as she stepped back, removing her hands and her lips from Caroline's body.  
"I'm sorry, Caroline….that wasn't very business-like," Kate apologised, her face flushed with embarrassment and arousal.  
"No, it wasn't," Caroline replied still a little breath-taken but with the hint of a smile on her lips telling Kate that the kiss was entirely consensual. "I'd better go."  
Kate nodded.  
"Goodnight, Caroline."  
Kate watched from the doorway as Caroline’s figure descended the steps and walked along the side of the building, the clip of her heels distinct on the cement surface. Once she was out of sight, Kate closed the door and moved over to the large windows that overlooked the street below so she could watch as her client got into her car and drove off. Kate ran her fingertips absently over her lips as she thought to herself, "It's going to be another restless night."


	4. Chapter 4

Sleep wasn't as difficult to find as Kate had expected with the wine helping to settle her senses into a deep slumber and when she awoke on the Friday morning it was with a renewed sense of vigour and purpose. She was determined to discover whether or not John Elliot was cheating on his wife, the lovely Dr Caroline Elliot.  
Kate showered and dressed, threw together a quick breakfast which she ate sitting on her sofa as she watched the morning news and then proceeded down to the office of "McKenzie Investigations" with her second cup of coffee for the morning and the notes she'd taken the previous night in her hand. She put her coffee cup down carefully on its coaster and brought her computer to life for the day. As she sat herself in the office chair, Kate commenced reading more thoroughly through her notes from her conversation with Caroline.  
Usually Kate was pedantic about keeping an open mind on each and every case she worked on, letting the evidence do the talking as it wasn't anything to do with her which way the facts happened to swing. As she saw it, her job was to simply gather those facts and let the parties involved make of them what they will. However, on this case, Kate found herself struggling to maintain a respectable level of impartiality. Although she disliked seeing marriages or relationships fall apart over infidelities, Kate couldn't help thinking, from the things Caroline had and hadn't said, that John and Caroline's relationship was already waning severely. It seemed obvious to her that Caroline was tormented by some internal struggle and wasn't happy with her life and John seemed to have a lot to do with this discontent. Perhaps if Kate could catch John out with another woman then maybe Caroline would be brave enough to leave him and find what it is she needs to turn her life around.  
Kate had to be honest with herself too. She was also motivated by a degree of self-interest. Caroline had made it very clear that her priority was her sons and if that meant staying in a marriage that at best was merely comfortable and convenient then she would do it for their sake provided John wasn't making a fool of her by insinuating himself into the beds of other women. Despite their obvious attraction for each other, Kate knew that with John on the scene there was no possibility of furthering her relationship with Caroline. Kate needed to know if her feelings for the delectable head teacher were in vain and did she need to move on.  
Personal desires aside, Kate's professional experience told her that John Elliot was most likely a philanderer. She had been doing this job long enough to know that the behaviours that Caroline had described to her certainly fitted the pattern….being unexpectedly held up at work for several hours and late home on a regular basis, having to attend an inordinate number of overnight 'conferences', the occasional weekend away on short notice, coming home with the smell of alcohol on his breath and the faint waft of perfume on his clothes…all the signs were there and together they formed the typical pattern of behaviour of an adulterous partner. All Kate had to do was get the evidence to back up her intuition.  
According to her notes, John usually worked from home on a Friday so Kate decided she would go and carry out some surveillance work. She used her computer to print off a street map giving her directions to the Elliot's address – 46 Conway Drive, Harrogate… and then dashed upstairs to get her bag, her digital camera and car keys. She then used the external stairs to reach her car which was parked in the small tenants' carpark at the rear of the building.  
Within twenty minutes Kate was cruising slowly down the leafy thoroughfare that was Conway Drive. She slowed right down as she rolled past number 46. An early model BMW which fitted Caroline's description was the only vehicle parked in the drive. It was 8:30am so Caroline had obviously left for work. The registration number ….D927PTA…also matched her notes so it was definitely John's car.  
Kate parked a short distance from no. 46 so it wasn't obvious where her attentions were focussed but where she had a good view of the driveway and she would be able to see immediately if John had any visitors or if he went out.  
Kate felt uncomfortably conspicuous as she sat in her small, drab–green fiat. Normally her car was perfect for surveillance work – plain, unassuming, unnoticeable – but today she could have done with something a little more ostentatious as she parked at the curb of Conway Drive with its tall, leafy hedges partially concealing the large, impressive houses behind them with their professionally landscaped, well-manicured gardens and each with at least one luxury vehicle parked at the end of long driveways. She desperately hoped that nobody would call the police and have her moved on.  
Boredom was always the enemy when doing surveillance work but Kate had done hundreds of hours of it over the years so she'd come prepared. She had a virtual library of novels and magazines lying on her backseat for when the tedium set in. For the moment though, she fiddled with her camera, fitting the most suitable lens for the distance, aiming it at the end of the Elliot driveway where John's car would have to leave from or another car enter and getting the focus just right.  
Slowly, unerringly the minutes ticked by and turned into two uneventful hours. Kate was becoming increasingly restless and claustrophobic. Her ability to concentrate was decreasing rapidly. Just as she decided she'd had enough and it was time to leave, her phone buzzed telling her that she had a text message. She reached over to the passenger seat and retrieved it. It was a text message from Caroline requesting that Kate meet her at the pub near the "McKenzie Investigations" office at 5:30pm as she had some information for Kate about John.  
"Why can't she just call me and tell me what it is?" Kate wondered to herself as she replied with a simple 'Sure…C u there.'  
It wasn't that Kate minded having an excuse to meet up with the ravishing head teacher again but it made it all the more difficult as, with each meeting, Kate felt herself falling for the woman a little more despite her best efforts to resist. However, she knew that Caroline, although attracted, was not interested in pursuing anything more serious…she was off limits for the moment at least.  
Once Kate had sent her message, she brought her car engine to life and was about to leave when, at the last minute, she sighted John's car exiting the driveway, his indicator showing he was heading in the opposite direction to Kate. Wanting to go faster but, for the sake of remaining unnoticed, Kate pulled out slowly from the curb and drove a short distance up the road where she then did a quick U-turn hoping that John hadn't already disappeared. To her relief, he appeared in no hurry so she caught up easily and proceeded to follow at a safe distance from her unsuspecting target.  
After a short five minute drive, John pulled to the curb outside a local florist's shop. Kate whipped out her camera, focussed and snapped off several shots of him entering the shop and then, ten minutes later, departing with an enormous bunch of exotic flowers. He had a smile on his face and a spring in his step, obviously very pleased with himself.  
"Here we go," Kate thought to herself. "Someone's hoping to score."  
Unaware that he had company, John pulled back into the traffic with Kate close behind him. To Kate's astonishment, he headed directly back the way they had come. Instead of following him down Conway Drive, Kate drove past the turn off but stopped in time to see him re-enter his own driveway.  
"Were the flowers for Caroline?" Kate asked herself.  
Kate stayed and watched for another hour but there was no movement. Her efforts were fruitless so she gave up in frustration and drove off.  
Back at her office, she downloaded the photos she had taken at the florist's shop although she had a feeling that they would be useless. Nevertheless, she created a file and saved them. Kate then spent the best part of an hour filling in her time sheet for the day and compiling her report for Caroline on the day's events.  
While she was at her computer, she also checked her emails and quickly skimmed through the information that had been sent to her from the insurance company concerning the other case she was about to begin work on. There was a summary of the damages claim…a woman asserting that she has been unable to work since tripping over an unmarked hazard at a local shopping centre and hitting her head as she fell into the fountain and is therefore suing the shopping centre for lost earnings…the insurance company, in response, is claiming that she was inebriated at the time, a claim the woman strenuously denies stating that she avoids alcohol. There was also a photograph of the woman attached to the email. It would be Kate's task to actually catch her out perhaps imbibing in a drink or carrying out some kind of paid work. Again Kate created a new file and saved all the information.  
Taking a quick glance at the office clock, Kate figured she had enough time to take a leisurely shower to help uncramp her muscles from sitting in her car all morning and change into some fresh clothes before meeting up with Caroline at the pub at 5:30pm so she locked the shop door and headed upstairs to her flat.  
oooOooo  
Kate arrived at the pub not much after five o'clock and killed some time participating in some lively conversation firstly with the pub's owner as he poured her a glass of wine 'on the house' and then with some of the other local characters that she'd become friendly with since she had moved to the neighbourhood.  
At precisely 5:30pm Kate's eyes swept towards the doorway and came to rest on the stunning figure of Dr Elliot. Seeing Kate sitting at the bar, Caroline headed towards her giving her a glorious smile on the way. She had obviously come straight from work and was wearing a figure-hugging black skirt, a stripped shirt the blue of which accentuated further the blueness of her eyes and a pair of black high heels that emphasized her fabulous legs. Caroline's blonde hair was swept up and held in a clasp at the back of her head. As Kate watched the vision walk towards her she almost forgot to breathe. The private investigator also noticed that it wasn't just her own head that was turned at the arrival of the new comer. However, Caroline seemed oblivious to all the attention she was attracting.  
"Evening, Dr Elliot. What would you like to drink?" Kate asked good-humouredly as the woman sidled up beside her.  
"Hello," Caroline replied still with the warm smile, "I'd love a white wine, please."  
Once the drinks were served both women went to the booths in the more secluded part of the pub where they could have some privacy. The bar tender grinned and gave Kate an approving wink as she left the bar. Kate frowned and rolled her eyes at him but couldn’t help the smallest smirk.  
Both women sat silently for a moment….each sipping their wine…each overtly aware of the presence of the other until Kate eventually opened up the conversation.  
"Caroline, is today a special occasion for you and John? A wedding anniversary? Birthday?" Kate asked.  
Looking a little puzzled, Caroline replied, "No…why?"  
"Is John in the habit of randomly buying you flowers?"  
"John?" Caroline laughed mockingly, "John hasn't bought me flowers in years….why would he start now?"  
"Well, he bought a huge bunch of flowers for someone today and took them back to your house," Kate explained.  
Caroline looked totally bewildered.  
"I haven't been home yet, Kate, so I don't know whether they're for me or not."  
"Will you let me know when you get home?" Kate asked, "But if he doesn't mention them then don't let on you know about them."  
Caroline nodded but was obviously distracted by some thought.  
"Am I doing the right thing by having him followed?" Caroline contemplated aloud.  
"Just because he possibly buys you flowers doesn't mean he isn't having an affair….actually, it's more likely to mean he is having an affair and is feeling guilty about it," Kate said, feeling a little exasperated at how easily Caroline was willing to give in.  
Instead of replying, Caroline took another thoughtful sip of her wine. Kate could see that she was losing her nerve.  
"Caroline, you've come this far….don't you think you deserve to know the truth no matter which way it goes so you can move on with your life?"  
Caroline looked at Kate and gave her a small, sad smile which made Kate want to reach out and hold this woman and assure her that everything would be fine in the end but she couldn't so, instead she changed tact.  
"What is it that you wanted to tell me about John?"  
"Oh…yes…that," Caroline remembered as she regained her composure. "John's off to London tomorrow morning. He says he has a meeting with his publishers. He's written the draft of a new novel…some sort of family saga he reckons….and his editor wants to discuss it with him so he's gone for two nights….leaves tomorrow on the 9:05am train and comes back Monday afternoon. His publishers usually put him up at The Montague….a perfect opportunity for a fling, don't you think?"  
"I guess I'm off to London then," Kate announced.  
Two empty wine glasses now sat on the table but both women seemed reluctant to leave.  
"Would you like another drink?" Kate asked hopefully.  
Caroline considered the offer but then thought the better of it.  
"Thank you but I have to drive. I'd better be heading off," Caroline replied half-heartedly and with that she stood up to leave.  
Kate joined her.  
As they stepped out onto the footpath Kate asked, "Where are you parked?"  
"Just up the street a bit," Caroline replied as she pointed in the direction of her car.  
"It's dark. I'll walk with you."  
"I'll be fine…you don't have to," Caroline began but Kate had already set off and wasn't listening.  
Caroline quick-stepped to catch up to her.  
They walked side by side in comfortable silence and as they walked Kate felt Caroline's warm fingers take hold of her hand. Her pulse raced but she said nothing. It was only when they drew up beside the car and she needed to search in her handbag for her keys that Caroline released her hold.  
Before Caroline opened the driver's door she turned to face Kate…they stood barely a breath apart…Caroline timidly ran a sensual finger along Kate's dark cheek. Kate looked into the woman's cobalt eyes where she saw what she sensed to be a tinge of something that she couldn't quite name…Sadness? Regret? Melancholy? Caroline's finger came to rest under Kate's chin which she tilted up slightly and softly kissed Kate's mouth, their lips barely touching but the effect was electrifying.  
"Let me know how you get on in London," were Caroline's final words before getting into the car and driving off.  
Kate stood there on the footpath for another moment, her eyes following the car down the street, her mind trying to make sense of what was going on. Finally, none the wiser, she turned and strolled back to her flat where she busied herself packing a few basic things in an overnight bag in preparation for her visit to London.  
Just as Kate had curled up comfortably on her sofa and had opened the latest novel she was reading, her phone buzzed letting her know that there was a message. It was from Caroline. There on her screen was a photograph of the flowers with a card saying, 'To my lovely wife….all my love, John.' The accompanying message from Caroline said, "He's up to something. Please find out what it is."  
oooOooo  
Despite it being a Saturday morning, the Harrogate train station wasn't overly busy and Kate was easily able to spot John as he waited on the platform for the 9:05am train to London. He wore faded jeans and a dark brown, well-worn leather jacket, underneath which could be seen a lightweight, navy blue jumper and his collar and tails showed a blue-checked shirt. With him he carried a shabby overnight bag and a laptop in its case.  
The train pulled into the station right on time and Kate discreetly followed him onto an end carriage. Once settled in his seat, John immediately opened his laptop and began tapping on the keys. Kate sat only a few seats away and pulled out the novel she had been reading.  
Three hours and one train change later, John alighted at his station with Kate hot on his heels. She followed him to The Montague hotel where it was obvious to Kate that the desk staff knew him from previous visits.  
As soon as John had left the reception desk and headed for the elevators, Kate approached the desk and booked in also. A quick scan of the business side of the desk told Kate that John was in room 416 but was only booked in for one night.  
"Hadn't Caroline said he was there for two nights …home Monday?" Kate mused.  
On the same level but several doors away in room 405 Kate tossed her overnight bag on the bed and headed directly back to the lobby where, fortunately, she didn't have to wait too long for John to appear. She followed him as he made his way several blocks towards the city centre and then, eventually, into the rather contemporary-looking building of his publishers, Kershaw and Whittle. Rather than enter the building, Kate planned to sit it out in the café beside.  
Almost an hour later, John emerged from the building accompanied by a slightly older looking man.  
"His agent, perhaps?" thought Kate.  
Again she followed as they headed off purposefully to what turned out to be The Montague. They bypassed the elevators and went directly to the hotel's bar. There they ensconced themselves in the plush surrounds and over the next three hours indulged in a generous amount of wine and a small amount of food. Kate observed them from a table not easily visible from where John was sitting. She didn't need to see them because the more they drank the louder and more animated the conversation became. Finally, Kate watched as the pair stumbled their way to the bar one last time. John purchased yet another bottle of wine, then, rather than return to the table, they both zigzagged unsteadily from the bar to the doorway. Here, they shook hands enthusiastically, gave each other a number of friendly slaps on the shoulder and then went their separate ways….the friend went to exit the hotel and John headed towards the elevators.  
"Is that jerk even capable of having an affair?" Kate wondered as she watched in amused horror as he relieved himself on an innocent pot plant.  
Kate decided that John was not planning on going out anymore that night so she officially clocked off for the day.  
oooOooo  
Back in her room, Kate tried to settle down and watch the television but she'd done too much watching in the last day or two. She felt the need to get out and do something, after all, she didn't get to London often so why waste the opportunity. Kate wasn't averse to venturing out on her own and perhaps, if she was lucky, she'd find some company…someone to help her take her mind off the unattainable Caroline Elliot.  
Showered and glammed up, Kate enjoyed a superb but somewhat overpriced meal in the hotel's restaurant and then caught a cab to London's newest 'women only' bar that she'd heard about…"The Last Tango."  
As Kate entered she was quite captivated by the comfortable and inviting atmosphere and the stylish features. It was too early in the evening for a large crowd but there were already several groups of women scattered around the spacious room as well as four of five couples. In the background, another room perhaps, the faint rhythm of dance music could be heard.  
Kate walked up to the bar with its dim lighting and glass shelves artfully displaying an impressive choice of spirits and other drinks and ordered herself a gin and tonic. The bar attendant was chatty and easy on the eyes so Kate settled herself on a stool there for the time being.  
As the night kicked on a steady stream of women of all descriptions entered the room and it was soon filled with the sound of raucous laughter and friendly chatter. The bar had become busy so Kate had moved to a small table where she sat alone, content to allow the vibrant atmosphere engulf her. Quite unexpectedly Kate heard a voice speaking to her.  
"Pardon?" Kate replied, a little taken aback as she turned to see a very stunning, dark –haired woman standing beside her.  
The woman laughed showing a set of brilliant white teeth.  
"I said 'sure you can buy me a drink' if you would like to," the woman repeated. "My name's Tamsyn. Do you mind if I join you?"  
Kate's brain finally caught onto what was happening and she gave the woman a smile of cognizance as she pulled out the chair and said, "I would love you to join me. What would you like to drink?"  
"I'd like a gin and tonic, thank you," the woman replied, her voice husky and seductive.  
"Perhaps the day isn't going to be a total loss after all," Kate thought to herself as she made her way to the bar.


	5. Chapter 5

As Kate returned from the bar with a gin and tonic in each hand, her eyes roved approvingly over her new acquaintance, Tamsyn. The private investigator in Kate automatically began to size her up. The woman, Kate estimated, was probably four or five years younger than her. She had smooth, dark skin and a beautifully curvaceous figure. Her best features, Kate thought, were her large, doe-like brown eyes with their long lashes, her wild mane of dark, corkscrew curls and her disarming smile. The obviously expensive cut of her clothing and her few but select pieces of jewellery told Kate that she probably had plenty of money to throw about. Kate placed the drinks on their table.

Over the course of the evening Kate found herself enjoying the company of the charismatic and confident woman very much. They laughed and talked comfortably about a wide range of topics. With a couple of more drinks under their belts, the lovely Tamsyn suggested that they take to the dance floor. Kate appeared a little hesitant so Tamsyn grabbed her hand enthusiastically and led the way into the next room where the loud, rhythmic beat of the dance music filled the air. They found a small space on the crowded floor where they could dance, the sheer crush of numbers forcing their bodies together. As one song melded into the next, Kate leaned in close to Tamsyn’s ear so she could hear her and indicated that she was going to the bar. Tamsyn smiled and nodded her understanding as she danced on.

Kate watched on as her new friend danced blithely amongst the melee of women.

At the end of the song Tamsyn joined Kate at her niche by the bar. Kate began to ask her if she would like a drink but before she could finish her sentence she found herself silenced by a sudden, steamy kiss. Taken by surprise, Kate's initial reaction was to pull back but instead, as the sensuous press of Tamsyn's mouth and touch of her tongue stirred her, Kate altered her course as she decided to go with the flow.

When their lips finally parted, Tamsyn's large, brown eyes peered into Kate's as she said, "I hope I haven't frightened you…have I? You're so beautiful and I couldn't resist any longer."

Flattered and momentarily lost for words, Kate simply smiled at her.

Tamsyn laughed her infectious laugh at Kate's muteness. "I have frightened you!"

"No…I wouldn't say 'frightened'…more like 'surprised'…it was unexpected," an embarrassed Kate tried to explain.

"Would it 'surprise' you then if I suggested we leave here and I invited you back to my apartment?" Tamsyn asked with a tease in her voice. "I'm staying only a couple of blocks from here."

Kate was about to politely refuse the invitation when she remembered that she was on a mission…a mission to get over Dr Caroline Elliot….so instead, Kate replied by quickly downing the remainder of her drink, grasping Tamsyn's hand in her own and leading her towards the exit.

It was only a short walk to the bold, modern building where the woman lived. They were greeted by a concierge as they entered and headed for the lifts. In the lift, Tamsyn pressed the button to the penthouse suite then wasted no time drawing Kate to her and yet again seared her mouth with a red hot kiss, releasing her only when the doors to the elevator opened as they arrived at the top of the building.

Breath-taken and a little flustered, Kate followed the gorgeous Tamsyn the short distance to her door which she opened to a room of tasteful opulence. Although generally not a person to be swayed by wealth or status, Kate found it difficult not to be impressed by the elegant surrounds.

Tamsyn took Kate's hand and led her into the room. She placed her arms loosely around Kate's waist and kissed her playfully on the cheek before heading for the bar.

"Can I get you a drink? A glass of champagne or a wine? Or another gin and tonic perhaps?"

Although not easily intimidated, Kate was thinking she probably needed another drink to give her some dutch courage.

"Champagne sounds good….thank you," Kate replied gratefully.

Kate watched the easy sway of the woman's hips as she walked across the room to deliver the drinks. She couldn't help but think of Caroline and the way she loved to see her enter a room, her hips swaying and an air of confidence surrounding her.

Tamsyn stood beside Kate and handed her a flute of chilled champagne. As they took their first sips, she slipped her hand beneath Kate's loose blouse and softly, seductively stroked the bare skin she found there, her velvet-soft, brown eyes never leaving Kate's face. Kate closed her eyes and let the champagne bubbles tickle her mouth and Tamsyn's hand explore her body. Her mind involuntarily conjured up visions of Caroline's face…her blue eyes and soft lips smiling at her. Realising what was happening, Kate quickly opened her eyes and gave her head a shake to clear the image. Tamsyn had put her champagne flute down on a nearby table and moved even closer to Kate until their bodies were pressed lightly against each other and then she reached for Kate's glass as well. She gently took Kate's face in her hands and drew their mouths together in a long, languid kiss which Kate happily fell into until, with a start, she realised that the lips pressed against her own were not the ones she was imagining they were and the hand that was cupping her breast was not the hand she wanted there. Suddenly Kate stopped and stepped back.

"Is everything alright?" Tamsyn asked, confused by Kate's sudden change of heart.

"I'm sorry," Kate stammered apologetically, "I thought I could do this…normally I can do this but….and please don't take this the wrong way….it's not your fault….it's just that you're not the person I need you to be."

"Let me guess…you have a girlfriend?"

"No…not exactly…it's too complicated to explain….it's probably best if I just leave."

The woman closed the gap between them once more and traced a perfect finger across Kate's lips.

"It's a shame really…I was rather looking forward to getting such a beautiful woman naked," Tamsyn replied with a flirtatious grin.

She then placed a kiss ever so lightly on Kate's cheek before stepping back and allowing her to leave.

Kate flashed her an apologetic smile before she headed out the door, grateful that the woman had been so gracious and understanding.

Back in her own hotel room Kate flopped wearily on the bed still not quite believing what she'd done and the opportunity she'd given up.

"She was gorgeous and clever and funny and you walked out! What's your problem, McKenzie?" she chastised herself.

The answer to that was simple. Caroline Elliot.

As Kate prepared herself for bed she decided that she would have to deal with her 'Caroline' infatuation another way or just let it run its course….long and painful as that might be.

The alarm beside her bed was set for 7:00am. Kate suspected that John was up to something. He'd only booked one night at The Montague but had told Caroline that he'd be away for two. Kate wanted to be there if and when he checked out in the morning.

oooOooo

It seemed like her eyes had only just shut when the sound of the alarm made them spring open again. Kate reached over and turned off the annoying noise and gradually rolled out of bed and made her way to the shower.

By 8:30am Kate was down at reception checking out and desperately hoping that her hunch would prove to be right. As she finished paying her bill she began to ask the man serving her a question.

"Is Mr Elliot still…."

She didn't need to finish her inquiry as an unshaven and rather hung over John Elliot approached the desk next to her with his keycard in hand. He was checking out also. The acrid smell of alcohol reeked from his body and hung in the air like a sour, repugnant cloud.

Kate made to leave, drawing as little attention to herself as possible and then ducked out of sight to allow John to go ahead so she could follow him, although she suspected that she knew where he was heading.

John stood on the train platform waiting impatiently for the train back to Harrogate to arrive blissfully unaware that Kate was only metres away keeping a sharp eye on him. When the train arrived, Kate once again followed him onto an end carriage. Both of them spent a good amount of the trip back catching up on sleep.

A short distance from Harrogate station Kate noticed John take out his phone and make a call. As soon as the train pulled to a halt Kate quickly alighted and made a dash to the long term carpark where she'd left her fiat. She drove out the exit but then pulled over a short distance away ready to stay on John's trail. As she waited she readied her camera.

The investigator kept her eyes peeled on the exit as each vehicle left until finally she spotted John in the passenger side of a battered early model Vauxhall. The driver was a woman with long, dark hair. As they drove off, Kate pulled out and remained a discreet distance behind them. Kate's excitement level rose as she sensed that she was onto something.

After a rather short and erratic drive, the woman indicated and then veered into the carpark beside a local pub. Kate stayed parked out on the street and watched as John and the woman went inside. Kate entered soon after and seated herself in a booth not far from the couple. Trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, she used her mobile phone to take photos of them as they shared a bottle of wine, ate their meal and held hands affectionately across the tabletop. Kate couldn't help thinking that she had seen the woman somewhere before but couldn't quite place her.

When the meal was finished and the wine bottle emptied, John and his dark-haired companion exited via the attached bottle shop and eventually headed for their car carrying a bag clanging with a number of wine bottles.

They drove off and soon enough were winding through the backstreets in one of the less attractive parts of Harrogate. Kate had to keep well behind as the traffic had thinned right out. The street they were in was lined with small businesses, a dubious-looking café or two, a pawn shop and the like. Each shop front had metal bars across the windows and roller doors to secure them after closing. Most of the shops had small flats above them. The woman parked the car outside a vacant shop front. Kate used her long lens to snap photos of John, carrying his overnight bag and computer, following the woman up a narrow set of stairs that led to the flat above. All the while, the woman's familiarity nagged at the back of Kate's brain.

Although Kate felt she had enough photographic evidence to convince Caroline that John was having an affair, for the sake of being thorough, she decided to keep watch for a bit longer.

After sitting and waiting in her car for something to happen, Kate's stomach began to growl its protest of hunger so she decided to brave the nearby pizza shop. She placed her order and grabbed a well-read magazine from the pile in the rack as she waited patiently. Suddenly loud, drunken voices made her look up from the article on Princess Diana.

"What kind of pizza do you want, you silly cow?" It was John and with him was the woman.

Kate quickly stuck her head back in the magazine, hoping that John didn't notice her and recognise her from the desk at The Montague. However, she suspected he was too inebriated and self-centred to worry about anyone but himself. Kate took the opportunity to get a good look at John's companion. She was probably in her early forties with the long, dark hair framing a longish face. Her eyes were a dark green and almond-shaped and her mouth quite full. She was only a little shorter than John and had a rather bohemian dress style. It was obvious from the way she swayed unsteadily that she too had had a little too much to drink.

While John busied himself placing his order and trying to sort out money to pay for it, Kate quickly absconded from the shop. Her stomach would have to wait until she got back to her flat. She jumped into her car and headed for her office. An idea was forming in her head and she needed to check it out.

As soon as she was in her office, Kate fired up her computer and waited impatiently for the system to come to life. Once it was ready she located the file that contained the information that had been sent to her by the insurance company. She opened the folder where she had saved the photograph of the woman making the claim. Her hunch was right. It was the same woman….the one John was having the affair with…a 'Judith O'Rourke'. Kate sat back in her chair with a very self-satisfied look on her face. It wasn't often she got to kill two birds with one stone.

Her stomach was still complaining so Kate went up to her flat and searched her fridge until she came up with a plate of leftovers which she then took back to her office and ate as she methodically saved all of the relevant photos from her camera and phone, cross-filing the ones that needed to go to the insurance company as well. By the time everything was saved and backed up it was late and Kate was ready for bed.

oooOooo

First thing the next morning Kate rang Caroline and organised a meeting for the afternoon. The earliest Caroline could see herself getting away from work was 4:30pm so the appointment was made for 5:00pm. Kate then spent the remainder of the morning on the tedious task of typing up her reports and preparing invoices.

As five o'clock approached, Kate recognised the now familiar feeling, a mixture of excitement and nervousness, that she got in the pit of her stomach whenever she was about to see Caroline Elliot. She knew she would have to show restraint and tact as she was about to break potentially bad news to her client about her philandering husband.

Promptly at 5:00pm Caroline entered the office of "McKenzie Investigations" carrying the same air of haughtiness and self-confidence that Kate had perceived the very first time she'd come in but this time she knew it was only a top layer and below was a far more vulnerable Caroline. Kate sat at her desk, very business-like, and offered Caroline the seat opposite her which the woman accepted.

Foregoing any small talk, Caroline said straight up, "I presume I'm here because you have some information for me…you've caught him at it with some whore?"

Kate could see Caroline's façade immediately start to crumble as her eyes began to tear up and her chin tremble ever so slightly. Kate gave her a moment to regain her composure before going into the details. This was always the most difficult aspect of Kate's job, watching people's lives as they know them fall apart.

Kate opened the manila folder on her desk and slid it towards Caroline for her perusal.

"This is a full report of everything I've done, all expenses and my findings," Kate explained as she flipped through the pages.

"What exactly did you find?" Caroline asked a bit more defensively than she'd intended.

After giving Caroline a brief synopsis of the last few days, Kate then opened a large, brown envelope which contained a print out of the incriminating photos she had taken which she handed to Caroline.

Up until now Kate had managed to maintain a professional persona but as she watched Caroline scan the photos which showed beyond doubt that her husband was in the throes of an affair and a slow tear trickle down her cheek, Kate wanted nothing more than to put her arms around her and console her but she knew Caroline wouldn't appreciate the sympathy.

"I'm sorry, Caroline," Kate said sincerely, for although she knew that Caroline would eventually be better off without John, she hated to see her hurting.

Without bothering to brush away the tear, Caroline looked up at Kate and replied, "I'm not….sorry… that is. It gives me a reason to get the self-obsessed prick out of my life."

Caroline collected up the manila folder with her copy of the report, put the photos back in the envelope and then tucked them all away in her handbag. She'd seen all she needed to see for now.

"How much do I owe you?" Caroline asked stoically.

"There's an invoice with the report," Kate replied reluctantly sensing that their business was nearly done and that Caroline was about to leave. "You can fix the bill up in the next day or two if you like. Don't worry about it now."

Caroline nodded and gave Kate a small smile of appreciation as she stood up. Kate wasn't prepared for her to leave just yet…not like this. She rounded the desk and stood in front of Caroline. They stood barely a breath apart as Kate's soft, brown eyes looked into Caroline's sapphire blues.

Kate ran her hands tenderly down each side of the Caroline's face as she asked, "Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine," she replied softly, her tough facade almost completely evaporated.

"It's none of my business so don't feel obliged to answer but….what are you going to do?"

Caroline thought for a moment before replying.

"First I'm going to explain to William and Lawrence what a low-life, self-centred jerk their father is and then I'm going to nail his tiny, pink bollocks to the wall and demand a divorce. After that….."

Suddenly, becoming acutely aware of Kate's presence and nearness, Caroline stopped speaking and instead she gently pulled Kate closer still until the small gap between their bodies was closed. She held the investigator's worried face in her hands and drew Kate's irresistible lips towards her own until they met in a kiss that began gently at first then, as the warmth and want reached out to them both, it became one of deep passion and fierce desire, each woman releasing what seemed like a lifetime of pent up yearnings. Neither woman could remember ever being kissed or kissing like that before.

Slowly it came to an end as lips reluctantly parted. Their foreheads touched but their eyes stayed closed for a moment longer as they each savoured the exhilaration of the kiss and what it could possibly mean.

"After that…" Caroline continued, "I'm going to do what I probably should have done many years ago…I'm going to follow my heart."


	6. Chapter 6

It had been six months since Kate had given Dr Caroline Elliot the proof she needed of her husband's adulterous philandering…..six months since Caroline had initiated a searing kiss between them and told Kate that she was divorcing her husband and following her heart, something which Kate envisaged would involve her…It had been six months since Kate had last seen or even spoken to Caroline Elliot.  
oooOooo  
Kate McKenzie had spent most of her Friday morning sitting in her car in a street lined with terrace houses several blocks from her office covertly watching and photographing a man who her client, a large insurance company that she regularly did investigative work for, suspected of falsely claiming compensation after stating that he had suffered a serious back injury as the result of an accident at his workplace.  
Unobserved, Kate pointed her camera lens at him as he shouldered heavy bags of cement from his vehicle to his front drive and proceeded to add the contents to a mixer into which he also added shovelfuls of sand as well as some water. Kate then clicked away as he poured the heavy, grey sludge into the frame that was to be his new pathway. It was hard labour for an able-bodied person let alone someone afflicted with a back injury of the magnitude that he was claiming to have.  
In the early afternoon she relieved the monotony of surveillance by doing some footwork as she visited and questioned friends of a teenage girl who had been missing for several months now. When the girl had first been missed the parents had immediately brought in the police and they had done the initial investigation but all leads had eventually dried up and being that the girl was old enough to leave home of her own free will, the police had moved on.  
Desperate for some hope, the parents had hired Kate to see if she could come up with any new clues. Maybe the girl's friends would be more inclined to speak to a private investigator rather than the police.  
As the afternoon drew on the air became quite chill and it had begun to drizzle with the promise of heavier falls to come. Eventually the rain seemed to set in for the duration so Kate abandoned her outdoor activity and instead returned to her office to begin the even more mundane chore of cleaning up the files on her computer as the disorganisation was beginning to grate on her normally orderly persona.  
One by one, Kate went through each case that she'd handled and made files on in the twelve months since she had previously done a clean-up, saving the essential evidence and reports and deleting the extraneous. She had been working methodically at it for nearly two hours and was pleased with her progress when she suddenly came to a file that stopped her in her tracks. It was the Dr Caroline Elliot file.  
Kate had been hired by Dr Elliot just over six months ago to confirm her suspicions that her husband, the all-but-forgotten author, John Elliot, was indulging in an extra-marital affair. It had taken Kate less than a fortnight to come up with sufficient evidence to prove that that was indeed the case. However, it took considerably less time for Kate to find herself succumbing to the many charms of her client, Sulgrave Heath's beautiful and most alluring Head Teacher. If Kate was being perfectly honest with herself, from the very first moment the woman had stepped into her office, she had become completely and utterly swept up in the aura that was Dr Caroline Elliot and had been led to believe, not least of all by the several intimate kisses that they had shared, that her feelings were reciprocated.  
However, it had been six months now since she had completed her investigation and handed over her findings to Dr Elliot and six months almost to the day since she had last laid eyes on the woman. In the beginning a confused and bewildered Kate had phoned Caroline a number of times but on each occasion the call had been, for whatever reason, allowed to go through to voice mail with no return call forthcoming. Desperate to find out what was happening and to get a message to Caroline, Kate had also tried sending texts suggesting that they meet somewhere just to talk but each time she had received a perfunctory reply saying that it wasn't convenient at the moment until, finally, Kate faced the bitter fact that Caroline obviously wasn't interested in seeing her again. Kate resisted the temptation to start up her own personal investigation into the matter. If Caroline wanted to see her, she knew where to contact her. End of subject.  
Now, with the file on the screen in front of her, Kate attempted to ignore the churning mixture of emotions the woman conjured up in her and to treat it as just another one of her cases. She opened it and three folders appeared. The first held a copy of the initial contract, personal information she had collected on John Elliot and the completed report containing the details of his affair with one, Judith O’Rourke. The second folder contained the photographic evidence of his philanderings. There were a couple of photos that Kate was able to delete from this folder but for the most part it remained intact.  
When Kate opened the third folder a photograph of Dr Caroline Elliot DPhil., MEd was suddenly staring out at her, the unexpected gaze of those piercing, blue eyes once again sucking the air out of Kate's lungs. It was a photo that Kate had downloaded from the internet during the initial stage of her investigation. She had been online to find additional information about the husband but her curiosity and captivation sent her in search of information on Caroline as well. Kate stared back at the woman in the photograph, unable to drag her eyes away. Although it had no relevance to the case….no relevance to her life anymore…Kate could not bring herself to delete the image permanently from her computer or her own memory. Instead, she eventually closed the folder, shutting it back in its file and ultimately, she hoped, the recesses of her mind.  
"How could I have so totally misread her intentions?" Kate wondered to herself not for the first or probably the last time.  
Kate prided herself on being able to read people with a high degree of accuracy, it was a skill that had become finally honed over her years as a PI, so she found it difficult to believe or accept that she had judged the situation so poorly.  
"Were the kisses we shared just out of curiosity? Did I imagine the chemistry we had between us that made my stomach knot in anticipation and excitement every time we were together? Did I imagine it all?" Kate asked as she cross examined herself once more.  
The last time Kate had seen Caroline had been in the office of "McKenzie Investigations" when she had delivered the damning evidence on John. Before departing, Caroline had initiated a passionate and searing kiss that had left them both quite breathless and was scorched into Kate's memory. Caroline had confided in Kate her intentions to divorce her husband and for once in her life she was going to follow her heart. At the time Kate had assumed, wrongly now it appeared, that that would involve her but as each day and week passed without a word from Caroline, the painful realisation emerged that she was not included in the woman's plans once she had discarded her wretched husband. Perhaps Caroline hadn't left her husband after all….maybe she had forgiven John his sins and taken him back ….maybe she had found somebody else in the meantime….or perhaps she couldn't face the inherent complications of being with a woman.  
"So many possible explanations….Why didn't she just talk to me….at least put me out of my misery and relieve the frustration of not knowing why?" Kate thought aloud.  
At first Caroline's unexplained and seemingly callous disappearance from her life left Kate emotionally stranded. She was lost, heart-broken and despondent. Her every thought was spent pondering where things had gone wrong and fighting back the anger and frustration of not having any answers to her questions until finally, at the passing of time, things were slowly put back into some perspective and Kate managed to dredge up from the depths of her despair her characteristic resilience and 'tough as old boots' attitude and move on with her life. The pain hadn't gone away, it had simply ebbed to become a dull but bearable ache around her heart that let her function but never quite forget.  
Her enthusiasm for the task lost by this unwelcome distraction, Kate closed the file and shut down her computer for the day. She then stretched the weary muscles in her arms, back and shoulders to relieve the tautness from the hours spent sitting at her desk sifting through the files while she also tried to shrug off the residual melancholy that thinking about Caroline always left her with.  
Looking at the clock on her desk, a digital clock set into a Rubic's cube that was given to her by a friend who thought it was an appropriate metaphor, it showed that it was nearly half five. Kate decided it was time to shut up shop for the day. She took the set of keys from her desk and used them to lock the front door. She then checked the lock on the door at the rear of her office, set the security system, turned off any unnecessary lights and headed up the internal staircase to her modest but comfortable flat.  
Later on in the evening Kate had a dinner date and she supposed that at some stage she ought to check that she had something suitable to wear.  
Despite no shortage of offers, after the heartache of Caroline, it had only been recently that Kate had felt any twinge of interest in seeing anyone again. She had accepted two other dates over the last month or so but neither one had ignited the slightest spark of interest or attraction and had been, quite frankly, hard work so there had been no follow up. Tonight she was seeing a woman who she had previously met at a friend's dinner party the weekend before. With the possible assistance of a drink or two, they had chattered amicably about almost everything and anything it seemed. The woman had even managed to make Kate laugh on more than one occasion. Kate also remembered thinking that she felt rather attracted to her. By the end of the evening the woman had asked Kate if she was interested in going out for dinner at some time and Kate had found herself accepting the invitation.  
There was none of the inexplicable electricity that she felt whenever Caroline was around but Kate had come to the conclusion that that was probably a 'once-in-a-lifetime' thing. Unfortunately, once Kate had experienced that feeling, it was the standard by which she found herself measuring all other potential partners. Perhaps it was a good thing that she didn't experience that chemistry with this woman, Kate convinced herself…at least if it didn't work out she wouldn't be so crushed. Now Kate only had to hope that she would remember the woman's name before they met up again. They had been introduced at the party but Kate couldn't, for the life of her, recall her name. Melanie? Maryann? Melinda?  
Kate searched distractedly through the clothes in her wardrobe hoping to find something a little dressier than her day-to-day wear of jeans, button-up shirts and jackets. She was having trouble getting motivated about it all which made the task of choosing an outfit all the more arduous. Lounging in her flat with a good book and a glass of red wine in old jeans and her favourite jumper would have been her preferred option but she knew that if she sat around alone, especially after this afternoon, her thoughts would inevitably turn to the blonde head teacher.  
"Damn you, Caroline Elliot," Kate muttered fiercely to herself as she carelessly discarded yet another outfit.  
Finally Kate chose a woollen, plum-coloured dress she'd bought recently as part of some retail therapy. The fabric was quite plain but the cut flattered her figure nicely and its low-cut neckline was sexy without being too provocative. She paired it with black tights and her black, suede, low-cut boots. She also found a black scarf and her heavy, black coat to wear as the nights were becoming increasingly colder with the imminent onset of winter.  
Showered, shampooed and glammed up, Kate took one final, quick look in the mirror to make sure that everything was in its rightful place. Satisfied with the end result, although she was never sure what to do with her hair…pull it back or leave it down…. as it often seemed to have a mind of its own but tonight she'd decided to go for minimum fuss and leave it down. She then grabbed her keys and handbag and made her way down the external steps to the tenants' carpark where she kept her fiat.  
The Italian restaurant where they'd agreed to meet up was an easy fifteen minute drive from Kate's place and once she was on her way, Kate found herself gradually becoming more enthused about the evening ahead but "Damn! What was the woman's name?" If she didn't remember soon she was going to have to take the embarrassing measure of calling someone who could help her.  
As expected, parking in the street outside the popular Luigi's Restaurant was scarce, non-existent even, when Kate arrived so she detoured down a nearby side street where she was fortunate enough to find a space relatively close-by that only a car as small as hers could possibly hope to manoeuvre into.  
Before getting out of the car Kate wracked her brain one more time for the name of her date but with no luck. She was going to have to call a friend. Just as she reached into her handbag for her phone, it buzzed to tell her that there was a text message waiting. Kate went into the new message which read, "Sorry, Kate….I've been held up….will be about 5 mins late. Melissa xx."  
"Melissa! That's it!" Kate repeated with a huge sigh of relief as she sent back the message, "No worries. See you soon."  
Fortunately for Kate, their reservation had been made simply in the name of 'Melissa' so she was able to be shown to the table. While she waited, Kate ordered a glass of her favourite Shiraz.  
As Kate's drink arrived so did her date.  
"Would you like a glass of wine too?" Kate asked as the rather eye-catching woman made to sit down at the table.  
She gave Kate a radiant smile and nodded. As Kate gave the waiter the order she could feel her spirits picking up considerably as the lovely Melissa sat opposite her. They fell easily into comfortable conversation.  
Meals and drinks were ordered and then subsequently delivered; all the while the two women maintained their steady flow of friendly chatter broken only by intermittent bouts of laughter. Kate was pleasantly surprised with the way her night was turning out so far.  
As the evening progressed a constant flow of customers began to fill up the restaurant until it was quite busy and buzzing with the sound of conversation. Kate, as was her habit, casually cast an investigator's eye across the room, not looking for anything in particular but taking stock of her surrounds nonetheless. Suddenly, at a table across the room, she caught a glimpse of an all-too-familiar sight…a sight that made her gasp involuntarily and left her feeling like she'd been thumped in the chest by a cruel fist. The wind was completely knocked out of her.  
"Kate…are you alright?" Melissa asked, concerned by the fact that Kate had, out of the blue, become mesmerised by something else in the restaurant and, despite her dark skin, was looking rather pale.  
Realising that she was being spoken to, Kate managed to drag her attention away from the other table and back to her date.  
"Sorry…yes….no, actually," Kate apologised, "I'm feeling a bit light-headed. I might go to the bathroom and freshen up."  
As Kate stood to make her way to the ladies' room she once again turned her attention to the other table…to Caroline Elliot….and now that she was standing up, Kate could see that there was another woman at the table with her, a much smaller, sinewy woman of forty-something with mousy brown hair. They appeared to be having quite an animated conversation.  
"So she has moved on…she has found someone else," Kate said to herself as if a piece of the puzzle had been put into place but at the same time feeling her heart being ripped mercilessly from her chest.  
Once Kate had reached the bathroom she stood dejectedly at one of the basins, bracing her hands tightly against the bench for support as she took in several deep breaths in an effort to refill her winded lungs. She leaned her forehead against the mirrored wall above the basin as she struggled with the miasma of anger and hurt that threatened to release itself. However, Kate was determined not to expend any more tears over Caroline Elliot.  
"The woman has clearly moved on...and I will do the same," Kate told herself defiantly.  
Kate turned on the faucet and lightly splashed her face with some cold water in an attempt to ease the sting in her eyes from the salty tears which she refused to allow fall and to revive her spirits enough to return to her date. She then tore some paper towel from the dispenser and patted her face dry.  
Seemingly composed again and resolute in her decision to go back to the table and continue the enjoyable evening she'd been having in Melissa's company, Kate turned to leave but her path was abruptly blocked as another woman walked in. Again, her emotions were sent into a tailspin as Caroline's bluer than blue eyes trapped her like a stunned deer in the headlights.  
"Oh….hello….Kate," Caroline faltered, "Wow…it's …um… wonderful to see you."  
Although Caroline was as surprised and caught out by the situation as Kate was, her words seemed genuine as did her smile.  
"Hello, Caroline," Kate replied brusquely and with an edge of coldness.  
The initial cheeriness at seeing Kate immediately disappeared as she sensed the animosity in the other woman's voice.  
"How…um….have you been?" Caroline tried.  
"Fine….well, thank you," Kate responded without conviction and then added, "I'd better go….my date will be getting worried."  
"Okay…well it was nice to see…."  
Before Caroline could finish her sentence Kate was briskly out the door.  
Back at the table with Melissa, Kate took her seat again and attempted to pick up where they had left off but try as she might Kate couldn't get her thoughts back on track. She had lost her flow. Caroline Elliot was all she could think about. Even to be in the same room as her was torturous.  
"Are you sure you're okay, Kate?" asked a concerned Melissa. "We can go if you like."  
Kate hesitated for a moment feeling guilty at upsetting what had been, up until now, a lovely evening but it was lost and she desperately needed to escape from here.  
"I'm sorry…Do you mind? That would probably be for the best. I think I might be coming down with something," Kate lied with a slight touch of conscience.  
To make up for cutting the date short and being such a pathetic, lost cause, Kate paid for dinner and then walked Melissa to her car.  
"I'll call you tomorrow," Kate promised as they parted, although it was a promise she doubted she would keep.  
oooOooo  
Safely ensconced back in the solace of her tiny flat, Kate discarded the plum-coloured dress in favour of a well-worn pair of plaid pyjama pants, an equally worn sweatshirt and a thick pair of socks, comfort having priority over glamour. She had also poured herself a generous amount of red wine which she nursed in her lap as she tucked herself up on the couch and peered at the television screen in the pretence of watching a late night movie but if anyone had asked her what it was about she would have been at a total loss to explain. Her mind was stubbornly focussed on thoughts of Caroline and turning over questions to which even her own finely-honed investigative powers could find no answer.  
Recognizing the futility of her thoughts and the fact that her wine glass was empty, Kate forced herself back to the present and padded her way into the kitchen…at least an empty wine glass was a problem she could solve.  
As she was about to pour herself a refill there was a soft, uncertain knock on the door; so soft that Kate wasn't actually sure it was a knock at all until, after a brief moment, it came again, this time it was a little firmer.  
Puzzled by who could possibly be visiting her so late at night, Kate slipped on the safety latch and cautiously opened the door only wide enough so that she could see who was there. For the second time that evening Kate found herself unexpectedly peering into the face of Caroline Elliot. Kate undid the latch and opened the door more fully.  
"Hello….Do you mind?...Can I come in?" Caroline asked apprehensively unsure of the welcome she would receive.  
When there was no invitation forthcoming Caroline added with a shudder, "It's freezing out here."  
Kate merely looked back at the woman. At that moment Kate's heart and mind were at odds… a turmoil of conflicting emotions…twin volcanoes of both desire and hurt threatening to erupt at the same time…but somehow Kate managed to maintain an apparent semblance of composure.  
"Would you like me to go?" Caroline asked, her voice faltering slightly, "I understand…." and with that she turned and was about to retrace her way back down the steps when Kate finally found her voice.  
"No….no…come in," she said in a hoarse whisper and moved to the side to allow Caroline to enter.  
The two women stood in Kate's kitchen, each at a bit of a loss as to where to start and what to say. Kate could feel the familiar sensation of excitement and anticipation that the blonde woman's presence always aroused.  
Kate finally asked, "Would you like a glass of wine?"  
Caroline took the offer as a sign that she wasn't totally unwelcome and accepted gratefully.  
As Kate handed Caroline the glass, she said a little self-consciously, “Do you mind waiting a moment while I get changed? I feel a bit ridiculous standing here in my pyjamas."  
"You don't have to get changed. It's only me," Caroline replied and then added almost to herself, "besides….you look….beautiful."  
Surprised by Caroline's last words, Kate's mood melted slightly and she gave the woman a doubtful but more affable glance and a quick smile. She then headed in the direction of her bedroom.  
While Kate was changing Caroline took her glass and was about to sit on the couch but then she changed her mind and took a seat at the small, dining room table instead. She wanted to be able to see Kate's face as they spoke.  
Kate shortly reappeared in a pair of jeans and a hand-knitted woollen jumper and, once she had fetched the almost empty wine bottle from the kitchen bench, took the seat opposite Caroline. A loaded silence sat between them as they sipped their drinks, each considering the best way to broach the subject of the last six months…a bridge they both knew needed to be crossed. Eventually it was Kate who spoke first.  
"Why are you here, Caroline, after all this time?" Kate asked, her voice low and a mixture of the hurt, anger and frustration she felt. "Is it to tell me that you've moved on ….found another woman and ….."  
"Found another woman?" Caroline interjected, her expression reflecting her bewilderment. "What do you mean?"  
"Well, you weren't sitting by yourself tonight or did I imagine that woman who was with you?" Kate answered with a touch of sarcasm.  
Caroline's face broke into an amused smile at the thought of the 'other woman'.  
"That wasn't another woman….that was Gillian."  
Kate raised an eyebrow which told Caroline she needed to explain further.  
"Remember I told you that my mother was getting married to Alan? The woman you saw me with is Gillian, Alan's daughter… and strictly speaking I suppose…she's my step-sister….not 'another woman' as such. God no…."  
Caroline paused for a moment and then added in a more serious tone, "I think Gillian had sensed how unhappy….depressed… I've been the last few months so she suggested that we go out ….you know…for a bit of fun…a girls' night out….there is no one else…."  
With Caroline's explanation temporarily taking the bluster out of her sails, Kate took a long, thoughtful sip of her wine then, as she placed the glass back on the table, she looked into the other woman's face, Kate's dark eyes demanding Caroline's full attention.  
"Why, Caroline? Why did you leave me without as much as a word of explanation?" Kate implored in a barely audible whisper, "Did I imagine that we had something? Was I just an experiment for you?"  
The questions came spilling out desperate to be answered.  
Caroline rested her elbows on the table and put her face in her hands, eyes closed as she tried to make sense of everything that had happened in her life over the past six months and to give Kate answers to her questions….but she wasn't sure of the answers herself.  
"It's all been such a mess really…the last six months…such an utter, utter mess," Caroline murmured dismally as she ran her hands subconsciously through her fair hair as was her habit when she was feeling flustered.  
"Tell me," Kate said, her feelings thawing, "I'm listening."  
Shaking her head slowly in confusion, Caroline replied, "I'm not even sure where to begin."  
"Did you confront John about his affair?" Kate asked to get the ball rolling.  
Caroline gave her a sardonic smile.  
"Yes, I did….and not only did he admit to it but he up and left me and the boys and the house to go and live with this woman…this Judith."  
"Sorry," Kate put in sincerely.  
"Oh, don't be….'good riddance' I thought but the boys were upset…at least, Lawrence was…I think William was as glad to see the back of him as I was….anyway, a couple of months later he turned up back on the doorstep, tail between his legs, wanting us to give it another chance…Judith apparently had a drinking problem which was all too much for him."  
As Caroline stopped to take one or two deep breaths to help herself calm down, Kate asked the obvious question.  
"What did you do?"  
Embarrassed now at what she could see, upon reflection and probably knew even at the time, was complete foolishness, Caroline answered a little self-consciously, "I took him back….mainly for the boys' sake…Too often parents put their own needs and happ…"  
"Happiness," Kate finished for her.  
"Yes, well I didn't want to be like that…anyway, John was back at it the first opportunity he got…so it's over…it's finished…and as far as I'm concerned, it never was."  
As Caroline drained the last mouthful of wine from her glass Kate said quietly but with her usual persistence, "That still doesn't explain why you didn't return my calls or speak to me…you could have told me what was happening….I might have been able to help….we could have worked it out."  
Caroline spread her hands on the table in front of her and looked absent-mindedly at the faint mark still remaining on her finger from where her wedding ring used to be. Then she returned her attention to Kate with renewed intensity.  
"I grew up in a house on my own with these people who never spoke to each other unless they had to….problems were never shared or discussed….if you had a problem you solved it on your own …you didn't even let on there was a problem…you just dealt with it… that's what I do, Kate….and that's why I couldn't see you or talk to you…I had so much to deal with …so much on my plate…John and his nonsense…Lawrence being difficult and blaming me for breaking up the family…mum's wedding…William heading off to Oxford…the divorce."  
"And I was just another problem you would have had to deal with…" Kate added tersely, again the hurt inflamed.  
"No….well, yes," Caroline replied honestly as she thought back to her first year at Oxford when she had told her mother that she had feelings for another girl at university and that she quite possibly was gay. "And mixed in with everything else that was happening I didn't think that I would cope with…I don't think we….you and I…would have made it, Kate."  
To ease the possible sting in her words Caroline reached out to take Kate's hand but Kate subtly moved it beyond her grasp with the pretext of placing a wayward strand of hair back behind her ear. She wasn't ready for Caroline's touches just yet…she was unsure as to where her feelings were at exactly now that she had some answers.  
Needing a minute alone and away from the immediate allure of Caroline's presence, Kate rose from the table and headed into the kitchen, putting a little extra space between them so she could think more clearly.  
"Would you like another glass of wine?" Kate offered.  
"Sure."  
As Kate fussed about in the pantry looking for the other bottle of red wine she knew she had there somewhere, she felt the rise of her inimitable reaction to Caroline's close proximity and, locating the bottle of wine at last, she turned around to find her standing in the kitchen also. She had the empty wine glasses in her hand which she placed on the bench for Kate to fill.  
Instead of pouring, Kate turned to face Caroline who now stood so close to her that she could take in the fragrant scent of her perfume and feel the warmth from her body.  
"Caroline, would you even be here if we hadn't inadvertently come across each other tonight?"  
Again Caroline reached for Kate's hands and this time Kate allowed her to have them, the contact fraying the final threads of her resistance.  
"Actually, it was Gillian who insisted I should come here tonight," Caroline admitted sheepishly.  
"Gillian?"  
"Mmmm….I confided in Gillian several months ago about my….um…feelings for you…and then when we met up tonight accidentally…well, she got to see, first hand, the effect …you have…on me….so she put me in my car, pointed me in the right direction and told me to go," Caroline explained with a scarlet blush burning on her cheeks. "It's a bit sooner than I planned….but I'm not sorry I came…even if it's only to explain….are you sorry I came?"  
"No…no, I'm not," Kate replied sincerely.  
"Anyway, my life has mostly sorted itself out now and things are a bit straighter ….well, I guess I'm not….I've fallen for a woman so I guess I could hardly be called 'straight'," Caroline said with a light laugh at herself.  
Amused by Caroline's words and touched by her admission, Kate smiled too.  
Feeling more confident, Caroline moved in a little closer and asked, "I know you've probably made your mind up about me but….do you think...could we try again?"  
The smile disappeared from Kate's face as she deliberated for a moment before answering.  
"No…..thank you, Caroline."  
The reply hit Caroline like a slap to the face. She flinched and tears immediately began to well. Her chin trembled slightly as she fought for control. Then she heard Kate's words continue.  
"Unless you promise to share your life with me including its problems ...its ups and downs…..let me into that inner sanctum that is Caroline Elliot…let me help you when you need it rather than turn me away."  
With the back of her hand Caroline brushed at the tears which had begun to flow down her cheeks as she searched Kate's face to make sure she hadn't misunderstood the meaning and implications of her last words. What she saw was a warm, inviting and slightly cheeky smile.  
"Does that mean…..?" Caroline began to ask.  
Rather than use words, Kate confirmed her intentions by tenderly cupping Caroline's face in one hand while, with the other, she gently brushed aside the fair hair of Caroline's fringe so she could capture those blue eyes with the richness of her own and make this woman see the depths of her feelings. Kate then placed a delicate kiss on each cheek before drawing Caroline's lips to her own in a slow, sensual kiss full of her forgiveness and empathy. How long the kiss lasted the two women had no idea….long enough for Kate to wash away the months of turmoil and anger…..long enough to dissolve Caroline's doubts and misgivings…..long enough for them both to feel hope and some certainty about the future.  
Eventually, however, it did end.  
As finally their lips parted and their eyes met, Kate put her mouth close to Caroline's ear and whispered, "Caroline…do you want to stay the night?"  
It was the easiest question she'd had to answer all evening.  
Caroline peered at Kate with shameless want and desire and without hesitation she answered with a simple but definite, "Yepp."


	7. Chapter 7

Kate took Caroline securely by the hand and led her to the bedroom where a small bedside lamp cast a weak light, silhouetting the two women against the darkness. Turning to face Caroline's shadowed figure, Kate traced a slender finger over the woman's tantalising lips, savouring their soft, sensual touch before leaning in and encompassing them completely with her own. Her whole body shot with fire as she felt Caroline respond in kind and the woman's hot, eager tongue enter her mouth like a second match to the already enflamed tinder of her desire, seducing her with its carnal dance.  
Feeling a shiver run through Caroline's body, Kate pulled away enough to ask, "Are you cold?"  
"No," she whispered as she dropped her eyes suddenly feeling a little reticent, "It's just….this makes me a little nervous, that's all.  
"I think it's supposed to," Kate whispered back, a husky quality to her voice.  
With a gentle, guiding hand, Kate tilted the woman's face back up so that their eyes met once again. Caroline could see the corners of Kate's mouth turned upwards slightly to give her an assuring, almost cheeky grin, letting her know that she wasn't alone in her nervousness for although, in her mind, Kate had made love to Caroline at least a hundred times, now that it was actually happening, she also was feeling somewhat on tenterhooks….not with uncertainty but with the rising anticipation and excitement.  
Slowly Kate ran a hand along the top of each of Caroline's shoulders and down each arm, discarding the woman's jacket as she did so. Then with a single step, she moved behind Caroline and gradually released the zip to her dress, following its path with feather-light kisses on each bit of newly-exposed flesh, starting at the shoulders with their dusting of light freckles and working her way down to the waist and the small of her back. As the zip reached the end of its track, Kate stood up to her full height again and peeled the garment from Caroline's body and let if fall to the floor beside the jacket. Caroline stepped gracefully out of the dress and out of her black, high heels.  
With an overwhelming desire to experience the touch of the other woman's skin against her own, Kate deftly removed the woollen jumper and jeans she was wearing then, still from behind, she placed one arm around Caroline's waist and the other a little higher, under her breasts which remained clad in a black, lace bra and then drew their two bodies together more closely until her own naked torso was pressed firmly against her partner's bare back. A sudden, involuntary gasp escaped both women as they each sensed the moment of contact. Kate tucked her chin into the nape of Caroline's neck, plying it with light, fervent kisses as her fingers slipped inside the top of Caroline's lace lingerie.  
With the warmth of Kate's breathe, the moistness of her lips and the teasing touch of her hand all driving Caroline towards an incessant fervour she suddenly turned in Kate's arms and hungrily took possession of the woman's full, sensuous lips, kissing, biting, sucking them, drawing moans of pleasure from her as she did so.  
Rapidly discarding any remnants of clothing, the two naked bodies eased themselves onto the bed where they lay in each other's arms. For a moment they each quelled their desires and lay quite still, realising that to go on would be to cross the point of no return. If either woman wanted to renege, now was the time to do it.  
Slowing the pace, Kate then took one of Caroline's hands and lifted it to her mouth where she pressed delicate kisses into the palm before guiding it down to the apex of her thighs.  
"This is what you do to me, Caroline," Kate said her voice now low and seductive. "Can you feel it?"  
Caroline caught her breath as she felt her fingers become steeped in the ample wetness of Kate's arousal. Unsure of the steadiness of her voice to reply, she simply nodded, her blue eyes transfixed on Kate's face, amazed once again at the beauty and honesty of this woman.  
With long, slow strokes, Kate dragged her lithe fingers attentively along Caroline's torso then followed the same path with her mouth. At each breast she took her time bringing the nipple to a firm, ripe bud before continuing her inexorable course across the alabaster stomach towards the mound of light brown hair below.  
Just as Kate was about to continue further, she felt Caroline's hands reach down and draw her upwards again until the woman's crystal-blue eyes peered into her own.  
"I want us to do this together."  
"So do I, "Kate replied not quite grasping Caroline's meaning.  
"No…I mean this…now," she tried to explain, not sure of the exact words to use to convey what she wanted.  
Kate looked puzzled for a moment and then a smile of cognizance spread across her face and her eyes lit up to become a molten bronze.  
Kneeling on the bed beside her partner, Kate's mouth once again wended its way steadily towards the other woman's stomach, she then carefully straddled a knee either side of the blonde head. An electrifying surge passed through her as Caroline's fingers trailed down either side of her spine and came to rest on the satin-smooth skin of her buttocks. At the same time Kate placed hot kisses on Caroline's silken inner thigh.  
In unison, each woman dipped their tongue into the well of the other's delight, stroking and circling, nipping and sucking until hips began to thrust wildly and guttural groans announced the nearness of each impending climax. Both women clung deliriously to that edge until eventually the same towering wave of ecstasy crashed over them simultaneously and its full force coursed through their bodies, after which they collapsed together, emotionally and physically spent.  
After a brief moment, Kate collected what remained of her strength and once again sidled up next to her lover, gathering her in her arms where she lay in exhausted but euphoric bliss.  
Concerned by her prolonged silence, Kate asked quietly, "Are you alright, Caroline?"  
There were no words just an affirming nod of the blonde head, Caroline's voice too constricted with emotion to reply.  
It had been a long journey for Caroline to get to this place where she was now convinced she truly belonged; from the first awakenings of her attraction to women at university, then years of pretending and conforming, to now, once again finding her true self. As she lay contentedly in her lover's wondrous arms Caroline felt happier than she had been for a very, very long time.  
oooOooo  
Dawn had only just arrived when Kate first stirred at the feel of a hand softly caressing her head and the distinct sensation that she was being watched. As her eyes opened and the world gradually came into focus she saw Caroline, propped up on her elbow beside her.  
"Sorry….I didn't mean to wake you," Caroline apologised, "but I couldn't resist…."  
"What's wrong? Couldn't you sleep?"  
"I was tired but I feel something else now…..exhilarated…"  
"Exhilarated? This time of the morning?" Kate teased.  
"Mmmm…it's as if this fog that has been there for months has vanished just like that and everything is clear and I feel happy like I can't remember feeling for years," Caroline explained, "It's a kind of freedom to finally discover the truth and be who you are meant to be….a wonderful freedom."  
Kate looked up at her with a sleepy smile and as Caroline gave her a light kiss, she pulled her in close to her once again. The reassurance of lying securely next to Kate dissipated the final remnants of melancholy and discontent that Caroline had been shrouded in for months now…years even….and as she lay with her head on Kate's chest, listening to the hypnotic beat of her heart, she fell back into a restful sleep.  
Several hours later the alarm that Kate had set on her phone went off, rudely disrupting their morning's peace and quiet. Still only half awake, Kate reached out with her free hand and turned the damn thing off.  
"Caroline, I have to get up….I have to go to work," Kate explained softly as she reluctantly unwrapped herself from Caroline's embrace.  
"It's Saturday…" a sleepy-eyed Caroline grumbled drowsily, "why do you have to go to work?"  
"Not everyone has the luxury of a Monday to Friday job," Kate complained light-heartedly, "I have somewhere I have to be."  
Caroline's mumbled reply trailed off as she drifted back to sleep. Leaving her to her dreams, Kate took herself off to shower and dress.  
As she emerged from the bathroom, freshened up and her hair still damp, she found that Caroline too was now up and dressed.  
"Ah…the walk of shame," Kate laughed.  
"Pardon," Caroline said with a puzzled expression on her gorgeous face.  
"You're going home in the clothes you went out in last night," Kate explained amused at the other woman's naivety.  
Not to be made fun of, Caroline's face took on a lascivious look as she caught the implication. The innocence was gone.  
"Walk of shame indeed…" Caroline repeated as she approached Kate with the stealth of a cat hunting its prey and, on capturing her she devoured Kate's mouth with a long, hungry kiss.  
"Do you want to come over this evening for dinner?" she then asked as she pulled her lips away from a still stunned Kate. "It will just be us. Lawrence has gone off camping with his friend, Angus and ….well, William is at Oxford…"  
"I'd love too," Kate responded eagerly.  
Then Caroline added as a casual afterthought, "Oh…John might be around."  
"John?...Why?"  
"He's still living in the house…in the spare room…until we sell the place. He's frittered away all his money and he has nowhere else to go so until we sell up I'm stuck with him," Caroline explained in a tone that clearly expressed her intense frustration at still having to deal with the existence of her jerk of a husband. Then, so as not to put Kate off entirely, she added, "He probably won't even be there….and even if he is, he knows better than to interfere."  
This less than ideal situation made Kate a little wary and Caroline read the uncertainty in her face.  
"It will be fine," Caroline reassured her and, as if to make it impossible for Kate to refuse, she asked, "Will you stay the night?"  
Kate needed no time for second thoughts at that invitation.  
"Sure….7 o'clock?"  
Caroline's response was a nod, a heart-melting smile and a quick parting kiss.  
oooOooo  
Having to park her car some distance away, Kate then walked the three blocks to the small Harrogate café located in the hub of the town. It was the only café that served anywhere near drinkable coffee which made it very popular, particularly on a Saturday morning.  
As she stood outside, Kate watched intently as the employees hustled busily back and forth to their customers with cups of tea and coffee and plates of food all precariously balanced in their hands. She was looking for a particular waitress. Ellie was the best friend of her new client's missing daughter, Angela. Despite having Ellie's home address and being given the name of some of her regular haunts, Kate had been unable to track her down up until now. It was as though she was deliberately avoiding her which immediately made Kate suspicious. Then a lad….a friend of a friend of Angela…who Kate had spoken to had unintentionally let it slip that Ellie worked in a café in Harrogate on Saturdays for some extra cash. Looking sheepish about his careless slip of the tongue, he had made Kate promise not to tell Ellie who had given her the information in exchange for the name of the café.  
At the counter Kate placed her order and as she handed over the payment she casually asked the whiskery man at the register who seemed to be in charge of the place if Ellie was at work today. He handed Kate her change and then, after a quick scan of the tables, he indicated towards a young waitress serving a table near the front window. As Kate followed his line of sight she could see that it was indeed the friend she had been looking for. The lengthy, brown hair was pulled back and tied up in a similar manner to how it appeared in the photograph Angela's parents has shown her of the two girls and the large, hazel eyes set in a rather pretty face made her quite distinctive.  
Kate took a seat at a table also near the front window to wait for her coffee and an opportunity to capture the girl's attention so she could speak with her.  
As luck would have it, it was Ellie who brought Kate's coffee to her.  
"Hello, Ellie," Kate said with a friendly smile.  
Surprised at hearing her name, the girl looked at Kate obviously trying to recall whether she knew this person or not and how she would know her name.  
"Hello," she replied politely but a bit hesitantly. "I'm sorry…do I know you?"  
"No," Kate answered honestly, "but I'm looking for Angela and I was hoping you would help me."  
Instantly the girl's expression became quite sullen and her manner more guarded. Kate was certain that if it had been at all possible she would have made a run for it.  
"Are you the police?" she asked.  
"I'm a private investigator….Angela's parents have hired me to try and find her, so no, I'm not with the police."  
Kate noticed the girl visibly relax but only by the smallest amount.  
"What do you want?"  
Keeping her voice as calm and non-threatening as possible, Kate said, "I want to find Angela. Do you know where she might be?"  
The girl averted her eyes from Kate's face and simply shook her head but Kate wasn't convinced that she was telling the truth.  
"Can we talk? You might know something that can help me find her?"  
Ellie looked at her doubtfully and then her eyes caught her manager's warning glare.  
"She might be in some danger," Kate threw in a little desperately hoping that it might secure a conversation with her. "She's probably fine…just run away…but until we find her we won't know for sure. Her parents only want to know that she's safe and well."  
Kate could see that the possibility of her friend being in danger was making her have second thoughts.  
"I can't talk now," she said uneasily, "I have to do my job."  
Kate reached into her wallet and pulled out one of her business cards.  
"Here's my phone number," Kate said as she handed Ellie the card and watched her put it in her jean's pocket. "Call me or text me whenever you want to talk…..we can meet up somewhere, wherever you like."  
The girl gave Kate a barely perceptible smile before leaving her to her morning coffee and going off to serve another customer, thus avoiding the ire of her boss.  
Although she was disappointed at not being able to talk to her now, Kate sensed that the girl did want to talk and that she would be hearing from her.  
With no immediacy to the remainder of her morning, Kate sat back and relaxed, slowly drinking her coffee and allowing her mind to drift back on thoughts of her previous evening with Caroline. Their love-making had been intense and wonderful and Kate was relishing the idea that they would have the opportunity to do it all over again that evening if everything went well.  
With her coffee finished, Kate begrudgingly brought her mind back to the here and now, realising that her thoughts had left her with a silly smile on her face which she hoped no one had noticed. Perhaps it was time for her to leave.  
On her walk back to her car, Kate detoured into a florist's shop to buy some flowers to take for Caroline. Her heart immediately attracted her to the bunches of deep, red roses but, upon further consideration, she thought that perhaps, despite her own certainty that Caroline was the woman she wanted to be with, it was too soon for roses. She looked around the store for a suitable alternative but the myriad of choices only served to complicate the matter and add to her indecision until, finally, she was rescued by the florist herself.  
Eventually a satisfied Kate left the store with an enormous bunch…the florist had described it as a 'contemporary arrangement'… of flowers made up of a veritable cornucopia of blooms in vibrant pinks and reds and deep purples with a subtle splash of orange. Sprays of green leaves and fronds provided the contrast.  
Her final stop before making it to her car was for some emergency groceries and a bottle of wine.  
As she headed out of the co-op and towards her car she noticed the familiar lumbering figure of her insurance fraudster only a short distance ahead of her and this time he was lugging several heavy bags of groceries.  
"Quite a feat for a man with a supposed back injury," Kate thought to herself.  
With her arms laden with flowers, groceries and the bottle of wine, it was impossible for Kate to get her phone out and take some photos so instead she followed him. Fortunately, thus far, he seemed to be going in the same direction as her. He approached where Kate's car was parked on the street but kept walking on. Without taking her eyes off her quarry, she quickly unlocked the fiat and put her load on the back seat. She then dug her phone out of her bag, locked up the car and continued her pursuit. From a safe distance away she was able to capture a short video and some stills of the man carrying his weighty load, something a person with a severe back injury would not be able to do, before he finally reached his vehicle and was off, none the wiser that soon his game would be up.  
Satisfied with her morning's efforts, Kate drove back to her snug flat that sat above the "McKenzie's Investigations" office. Initially she busied herself putting away the few meagre groceries she had bought and storing the flowers so that they would survive the afternoon. Then she made herself a cup of tea and attempted to pass some time reading a book but all her mind would let her think about was seeing Caroline again. There was still several hours to get through so she decided to occupy herself compiling the final report for the insurance company as well as dealing with a couple of other small matters she'd been avoiding such as paying some bills.  
oooOooo  
The afternoon crept on far too slowly for Kate's liking and she found it increasingly difficult to focus on her tasks until, eventually, she admitted defeat, shut down her computer and closed up shop for the day.  
Upstairs in her flat, she sifted through a variety of clothing searching for something suitable to wear. She finally decided on a pair of tight-fitting black jeans, a loose blouse in her favourite purple and a jacket to go over the top for warmth as well as her black suede boots.  
Promptly at seven o'clock, Kate pulled up in Caroline's driveway. A moment later she was standing on the front steps, flowers and wine in hand, somewhat reminiscent of an anxious debutante suitor, and knocking on the door. It opened almost immediately. The two women greeted each other with broad smiles and friendly hellos, each one holding back the urge to simply ravish the other on the spot. They would go through the polite ritual of a meal and conversation first.  
As Kate entered and followed Caroline towards the kitchen her senses were struck with the delicious aroma of food cooking.  
"Smells fabulous," Kate complimented.  
"Thanks….hopefully it will taste just as good."  
"Here ….these are for you," Kate said as she presented Caroline with the flowers and the bottle of wine.  
"Thank you…you didn't have to," Caroline replied as she rewarded her with a beaming smile and a brief but promising kiss.  
In the kitchen Caroline proceeded to search for a vase for the flowers. Kate took the initiative and opened the bottle of wine then poured them both a glass.  
While Kate watched on as Caroline arranged the flowers with a perfectionists eyes, her phone buzzed urgently letting her know that there was a message. When she opened up the phone's menu she saw, with a flutter of excitement, that it was from Ellie.  
The message simply said, "Meet me at the café tomorrow morning at 11."  
"Yes!" Kate thought with a mental pump of the fist.  
Caroline carried the vase of flowers into the dining room, placed them at the end of the table and then returned to the kitchen. The familiar knot of excitement churned in Kate's stomach as Caroline flitted about her with final preparations for the meal.  
"I've poured you a glass of wine," Kate said trying to keep the effect the woman had on her out of her voice.  
Caroline came and stood beside her capturing Kate's eyes with her own, knowing full well the power they had over her.  
"Thank you," she replied in a breathy whisper before luring Kate's mouth to her own and delivering a searing, indulgent kiss which only ended when Caroline suddenly realised something was burning.  
"Oh, shit! The dinner rolls!"  
Caroline grabbed a protective cloth and attempted to rescue the tray of rolls from the oven, waving away the smoke as she did.  
As Caroline placed the tray of thoroughly-cremated rolls on the stove top, Kate couldn't help but laugh.  
"Well, I guess we won't be having these with our meal…sorry," she said as she discarded the cinders into a nearby bin.  
Normally this kind of disaster would have upset and flustered Caroline but she found herself being far more relaxed and able to put things in perspective when she was around Kate, her light-heartedness and good humour were infectious.  
Once the meal was ready, the two women took themselves to the table where the subtle glow from numerous candles softly illuminated the room.  
Despite the minor setback to Caroline's dinner plans, the rest of the evening turned out brilliantly and over the next hour or so they indulged in the delicious food and lively conversation interrupted occasionally by peals of laughter. Their evening was also laced with intimate touches…the intertwining of fingers, the brushing of hands, the gentle kissing of fingertips… each one fueling the fire smouldering within.  
At the end of the meal Kate rose and helped Caroline clear away the dishes and as she stacked them in the dishwasher, Kate took the time to top up their wine glasses.  
"Would you like some dessert?" Caroline asked.  
Despite the innocent intent of the question, the lustful expression now on Kate's face clearly telegraphed what she had in mind for dessert as she moved in on the delectable blonde. The flames of desire were virtually visible in her eyes.  
After a quick scan of the kitchen and dining room to make sure all appliances were safely off and candles were extinguished, Caroline reached out and took Kate's hand.  
With a sagacious grin, she said, "Dessert is being served upstairs….are you coming?"  
It was Caroline's turn to lead as Kate followed.  
oooOooo  
Heavy rain had been falling relentlessly since the very early hours of the morning, giving them the perfect excuse to stay tucked up in bed together even though they had both been awake for quite a while. Neither woman was in any hurry to burst the happy bubble they found themselves in.  
Caroline lay on her side, head propped up in her hand, looking down a little disbelievingly at the gorgeous, naked woman that lay next to her.  
"You are very pretty," Caroline said as she openly admired the beautiful features of Kate's face.  
"Am I?"  
"Mmmm…."  
Kate's eyes became intense as she peered up at Caroline.  
"You're magnificent," she declared with deep sincerity.  
With no words to reply, Caroline, instead leaned over and kissed her yet again.  
Suddenly, without warning, the bedroom door was flung open and a loud, male voice boomed.  
"Caroline, have you taken my lap….."  
The sentence came to an abrupt end as John attempted to process the unexpected scene that greeted him and his brain began to register what he had walked in on.  
Angry rather than afraid but also amused as she watched John struggle to take in the implications of what he was seeing, Caroline spoke with a calm and control that belied the intense annoyance that she felt at that moment.  
"Morning, John…"  
His lips moved but no sound was forthcoming.  
So as not to create an ugly scene which she knew they were both capable of doing, Caroline decided to take the 'high road' and keep things amicable.  
She turned to Kate who was bemused by the situation and curious as to how Caroline was going to handle it.  
"Kate, this is my soon-to-be ex-husband, John….you'll have to excuse his lack of basic manners."  
Kate smiled politely in John's direction where a dark, storm cloud was steadily brewing.  
Continuing with the introductions, Caroline went on.  
"John, this is Kate, she is my…."  
She hesitated for a moment, searching for the right word to use.  
Finally Caroline announced with enormous satisfaction and a sense of release from all the constraints that had bound her over the years, "Well, I think it's quite obvious who she is…she's my partner….my lover…..my beautiful, generous lover."


	8. Chapter 8

"….She's my partner….my lover….my beautiful, generous lover."

At the sound of those words…Caroline's complete and honest admission…a sense of joy rippled through Kate's heart and she could barely contain the grin that was determined to spread across her face despite the rather awkward situation they were in.

John, on the other hand, was far from impressed with the morning's turn of events as he stood dumbstruck in the doorway of Caroline's bedroom after catching her at it…. with another woman, no less….and to John's way of thinking, a rather mousy woman at that, who sat in the bed silently with a strange, insipid smile on her face.

His hands were thrust deep into his pockets fidgeting restlessly, his shoulders were slumped and his chest heaved slightly as he struggled with the implications of what he had witnessed. The stubbled face was a picture of disbelief and bewilderment as his forehead creased with deep, curious furrows, the dark, untidy brows knitted together in confusion and his jaw slid back and forth anxiously as he ruminated over the situation. He ruffled his already messy hair giving the impression of a man half-crazed. His eyes, like two glossy black beetles, glared at the sight before him, unable to align the facts as he thought he knew them with what he was actually seeing.

Caroline disrupted the uneasy silence.

"I haven't touched your laptop, John," she replied nonchalantly in answer to his original question, completely ignoring his present predicament. "The last time I saw it, it was on the coffee table under some newspapers….the cat was curled up on it….you know you shouldn't leave stuff chucking about like that."

"When?...Why?...How long have you two….?" John stammered as he pointed an accusing finger first at his wife and then at Kate.

"John, you and I ….we're getting a divorce…remember? I don't owe you any explanations and after what you've put me through for the last six months ….well, you have nothing to say on the matter. Now, if you don't mind…and even if you do…Kate and I would like you to leave…this is not a spectator sport."

To impress the point further on her soon-to-be-but-not-soon-enough ex-husband and to perhaps expedite his departure, Caroline reached for Kate's hand and pressed a deliberate kiss onto the back of it showing unquestioningly where her affections lay.

John's attempt at a retort was an indecipherable spluttering as his brain, its synapses in a state of shock, was unable to form much in the way of a coherent sentence. In order to save face and to tend to his battered ego, he thrust his hands forcefully back into his pockets, turned on his heels and stormed out of the room shrouded in a heavy cloud of confusion.

Relieved to be rid of his presence, Caroline let out a long sigh and then turned to Kate who was trying desperately to constrain her laughter from behind her hand but Caroline could see the amusement dancing in her partner's eyes. Appreciating the ridiculousness of the situation, Caroline too began to smile then, simultaneously, both women burst into peals of raucous laughter. They laughed until their sides ached and tears streamed down their cheeks.

"Ssshh…we shouldn't laugh too loudly, he'll hear us," Kate suggested as she struggled for control, "we shouldn't rub too much salt into his wounds."

"Sod him! Stupid twat! He wasn't too worried about my wounds while he was off screwing Judith," Caroline replied as she finally reeled in her laughter and became more serious, "not that I care…I'll be glad to be shot of him, although I should probably go and talk to him before he shoots his mouth off to all and sundry."

With those words and a brief kiss on Kate's lips, Caroline reluctantly slipped out of bed, donned her dressing gown which she retrieved from its hook behind the door and followed after her errant husband. She found him anxiously pacing back and forwards in the kitchen, his head down in concentrated thought as he tried to fathom what was happening.

"Did you find your laptop?"

At the sound of her voice John immediately halted and looked up at her, his expression one of dark disdain.

Disregarding her question, he asked, "How long have you ….and her…been at it?" His tone was heavily tainted with accusation.

"Long enough for me to know that it's what I want and that it makes me happy….happier than I can remember being for years."

John winced at the stinging verbal slap.

"I was a good wife, John….a faithful wife….you were the one who blew it, not me so you needn't waste your time looking so mortally offended."

"How long have you known this about yourself? I'm assuming it's not something you cooked up last week."

"It doesn't matter….It has nothing to do with you so don't flatter yourself. What does matter is that it's what I want and how it's going to be. I'll need to tell the boys and my mother so I'd appreciate you being discreet until I've had the chance to do that…whoever the hell else you tell is, of course, your business."

"You'll upset the boys… you know that, don't you?" John retorted with indignation rising in his voice.

"I'll deal with it…..They'll be fine once they get used to the idea….Kate is kind and loving, they'll adore her….I just need you to keep out of it and anything else to do with me from now on….we are no more, John. I've moved on and you need to do the same."

Not wanting to listen any longer, John angrily pushed his way passed Caroline and strode out of the kitchen muttering under his breath.

"Mad dyke."

Grabbing his keys and phone, he then marched to his car, slamming the door behind him.

As his car tyres spun in the gravel of the driveway Caroline trudged her way back up the stairs.

"Why is life always so complicated?" she asked herself. "Just this once can't I have what I want without the battle?"

But then she decided that the only things worth having were the things you had to fight for.

Caroline re-entered the bedroom to find that Kate was no longer in the bed and she silently cursed her useless husband for yet again interfering in her life….something for which he had a definite knack.

"He alright?" Kate asked as she emerged from the ensuite bathroom fully dressed now Caroline noted with disappointment.

"Who knows? He drove off to God knows where…probably back to her place…Judith's…he was mumbling something about me being a mad, old 'something-or-other'….How did I end up with such a jerk?…seriously, if I could bring myself to be bothered, I'd kill him."

Kate stepped across the room, joined her hands around Caroline's waist and drew her in close as she softly kissed the furrows of exasperation that had settled on her forehead.

"With any luck he'll stay away now that he knows about us…now that he knows that there's no chance of you and him…."

Caroline replied with a weak, sceptical smile.

"Listen, Caroline, I have to go."

Caroline unwrapped herself from the embrace and held Kate's hands.

"Come and lie down with me for just a bit longer," she pleaded as she gently tugged Kate towards the bed.

Tempted as she was, Kate held her ground.

"I can't …as much as I want to, I really can't. I'm going to be late as it is if I don't get moving."

"Where are you off to? Not another woman hidden away somewhere?" Caroline asked only half joking.

"No!" Kate replied, quite shocked that Caroline would even think that but suddenly realising why. "I'm not like John….I would never do that to you…ever, I promise. It's that case I was telling you about….the missing girl, Angela. Her friend, Ellie, sent me a text last night agreeing to meet with me…talk to me…I think she knows something that she hasn't dared to tell the police. I'm catching up with her at the café in Harrogate where she works …at eleven."

A quick look at her watch told Kate that she needed to be on her way.

Begrudgingly giving in, Caroline released her grip on Kate's fingers.

"Will I see you later….after your meeting? Will you be home by two o'clock?"

Kate put her hands to Caroline's face and captured the earnest gaze of the woman's wonderful, blue eyes.

"I can be…" she answered in a seductive whisper.

"Can I meet you at yours then? Is that alright? It will just be for a couple of hours. Lawrence will probably be home from his camping trip before dinner."

A sudden swell of her heart as she once again realised how much she loved this woman and wanted to be with her caught Kate unexpectedly making a lump form in her throat.

"Sure….." she managed as she swallowed hard, "I'll see you at two."

After a final brief kiss, Caroline watched as Kate departed leaving behind a void that rapidly began to fill with all the problems she now needed to solve. Could she trust John to be discreet? She doubted it. She would need to speak to the boys as soon as possible. How would they react? She was confident that William would be fine with it all but Lawrence was another matter altogether. Then she needed to talk to her mother…not a task she was relishing. Would Celia's opinion on the matter have enlightened over the years or would there be the same stubborn, narrow-minded objections as when she spoke to her during her first year at Oxford?

oooOooo

From the doorway of the café Kate noted that it wasn't as bustling as it had been the previous morning and things were happening at an easier pace. Her eyes scanned the room searching for the familiar figure. Suddenly she felt a hand rest on her wrist and turned to see a less solemn-looking Ellie who was now directing her towards a table in a quiet corner of the café. It was as though her decision to talk to someone had eased her mind.

"Would you like a cup of tea or coffee?" Ellie offered politely, "I'm on a break but I can still fetch one if you'd like."

"Tea would be nice."

Ellie disappeared into the kitchen area behind the counter, returning shortly after with a white, ceramic pot of tea, a tiny jug of milk and two cups and saucers which she placed on the table.

"Thank you," Kate said as they each then, wordlessly, went about their own ritual of making their tea.

Experience told Kate that it would be best not to rush Ellie into talking. She'd let her say what she had to say in her own time.

Finally, with the tea poured and after a testing taste, Ellie gathered her nerve and broke the quiet.

"Me and Angela…we've been best friends since we first started school. We do…did…everything together….we didn't have any secrets; we told each other everything….we always helped each other. It's been like that all our lives and then….and then she went and got this boyfriend…"

Ellie stopped there for a sip of her tea, obviously feeling the need to calm herself down.

"What's his name….the boyfriend?" Kate asked simply.

"Andrew Southby….Andy. He's not from around here." Her voice seemed to sour at the mention of his name. "He's a lot older….twenty something….and he's a complete tosser….She's very pretty…Angela…and clever and funny. She could have just about any bloke she wanted ….they're all falling over themselves for her…the local lads…but she goes and chooses this wanker…I think she thought it sophisticated or something to have an older boyfriend but I don't like it…I don't like him."

"Why not?"

Kate waited patiently, sipping her tea, as Ellie thought about her response.

"It doesn't feel right…he thinks he's better than everyone else…cleverer…and he treats Angela poorly although she doesn't seem to see it."

Immediately becoming concerned, Kate asked, "Treats her poorly? In what way? Does he hurt her?"

"No, I don't think so although I wouldn't put it past him…cocky bastard…but he bosses her around and everything is always about him and what he wants." Ellie hesitated for a beat and then added, "…and he's into drugs…not using them as such but he sells them…to any poor numpty that needs a fix."

"Do you think Angela is using drugs?"

The idea clearly upset the girl as she stared into her cup as though hoping to see all the answers in a sludge of tea leaves lying at the bottom of it.

"I don't know…she never used to…we promised each other we wouldn't ever go there…. we'd seen what they do to other people, our friends….but that was before, she's a different person now so I don't know."

Kate then drew on her most serious expression and asked Ellie straight out, "Do you know where she is?"

The girl closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It seemed she was coming to a decision about something.

"I promised Angela that I wouldn't tell the police or her parents where she was."

It was as Kate had suspected.

"I can understand that it might feel like you are betraying your friend," Kate said gently, " but if she's with this Andy bloke…well, it doesn't sound too safe to me…especially if he's involved with drugs. Is she with this boyfriend of hers?"

Ellie nodded as her pleading eyes peered at Kate wanting to know that she was doing the right thing but feeling conflicted at betraying her best friend's confidence.

"Six months ago he told her that he was moving to London…he said he could make more money there…sell more drugs I suppose…and he asked….well, 'told' more like, her to go with him. Angela knew her parents wouldn't let her go…they didn't even know she had a boyfriend. Most times if she was out with him she lied and told them she was with me. Anyway, in the end, she just took off to London with him…she didn't even bother to take anything because he said he would buy her all new stuff with all the money he would make….tosser….she didn't even come and say 'good-bye' to me…first I knew about it all was when she called me a few days later and made me promise not to tell anyone… 'They wouldn't understand' she'd said."

Noticing that Ellie was on the verge of tears, Kate reached across the narrow table and ran a soothing hand along the girl's forearm. The weight of her secret had become almost too heavy a burden for her to bear.

"I knew things were weird when she threatened me. She told me that if I said anything to police or her parents she would say that I was dealing in drugs too….I think he…Andy…made her say that." Ellie sniffed back her tears. "She'll never talk to me again for telling but I'm worried about her…I just want her to be safe and away from him."

"Have you heard from her since then? Do you stay in contact?" Kate asked intent now on getting all the information she could from Ellie while she was confiding freely and before the girl had a chance to rethink what she was doing or break down completely. "Do you know where she's living? Do you have a phone number or an address?"

"I have a phone number but I haven't spoken to her for a couple of weeks. She doesn't often answer a call. I usually have to wait for her to call me and that's once a flood. They were living in a terrace house in Brixton last I heard….I don't have an address… I suspect they move about a bit," Ellie divulged.

"It doesn't sound like the ideal lifestyle," Kate replied in an attempt to ease the girls' conscience of its guilt. "I think you're doing the right thing…it's what a caring friend would do."

Ellie looked up at Kate and gave her a small, unconvinced smile.

Kate topped up Ellie's cup of tea which was gratefully accepted and then emptied the rest into her own cup. They drank in silence while Kate carefully considered the information she now had and mulled over her next move. She could go to the police, give them the information and leave it for them to sort out but it wasn't in her nature to only half do a job. Angela's parents had hired her to find their daughter if possible and she hadn't done that yet. All she had were a few clues that could quite conceivably lead nowhere. She needed to close the case as a matter of personal pride as much as anything else.

"Ellie, I have a plan to find Angela and hopefully convince her to come home or at the very least, make sure she's safe and well but I'll need your help."

"What do you want me to do?" she asked cautiously.

"Can you call Angela and arrange to meet up with her in the next day or two?…Tell her you're coming to London…make up a reason…and that you'd like to catch up with her. Arrange to meet her somewhere and set a time."

"But I told you, she rarely answers her phone," Ellie replied doubtfully.

"If she doesn't answer just leave a message telling her to call you….Can you do that for me?"

The girl nodded having obviously decided that seeing as she had gone this far she might as well follow it through to the end.

"What happens then?" she asked Kate, "I can't go to London, I've got school."

"No, of course not," Kate replied, "I'll go to London and turn up at the place and time you arrange and ….well, I still need to think through the next part of the plan but, hopefully, I can persuade her to at least call her parents and let them know that she's safe and sound….Will you do it?"

Although still very dubious about the whole scheme, Ellie retrieved her phone from her pocket and made her way outside for the sake of better reception and more privacy. Kate waited, her fingers mentally crossed, hoping that Ellie could pull it off.

"Done," Ellie announced quite triumphantly as she sidled up to the table again. "I'm….you're meeting her at Rosie's Café near the Brixton Market at half three tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"Yeah…Is that alright? You did say the next day or two."

"No, that's fine. What did you tell her?"

"I said things here were shit and I needed to get away for a bit so I was thinking of coming to London to see her. She didn't seem keen to start with but I convinced her… she did say she missed me. I'm kind of sorry I can't go but my mum would kill me if I was to miss school."

Ellie looked up at the clock on the wall behind the counter.

"Is that all then only I need to be getting back to work before the boss starts giving me filthy looks and threatening to sack me?"

"Just one more thing…Can you write down Angela's phone number for me?"

Without any questions or comment, Ellie took out her notepad and pencil, looked up the number in her contacts and then handed the paper to Kate.

"Here it is…Good luck….I doubt she'll speak to me ever again after this but I need to know she's okay."

Kate took the folded piece of paper with the number on it, giving Ellie's hand a final, reassuring squeeze before leaving her to get back to her job.

oooOooo

Back at her flat Kate busied herself tossing a few necessary items into an overnight bag. She'd decided that she should probably expect to spend at least one night in London. As she was trying to choose which coat to take, her phone buzzed telling her that she had a new text message. After a quick search through the bed covers and the loose clothing that lay on top, she located her phone and viewed her message. It was from Caroline. It was telling Kate to meet her outside the shopfront at 2:00pm and to wear something warm. Kate checked the time on her phone…1:57pm. She left her packing, she could do it later, grabbed her black, woollen coat and scarf as well as her bag and scuttled down the internal staircase and out to the footpath at the front of the shop, all the while wondering what Caroline had in mind for them.

Kate had barely waited a minute when she spied the dark shape of Caroline's vehicle coming down the street. Once it had pulled up beside her, Kate opened the door to be greeted by a brilliant Caroline smile.

"Hi…jump in."

"Where are we going?" Kate asked as she leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on the blonde woman's cheek.

"I thought we'd go somewhere for a bit of afternoon tea. Is that okay?"

"Of course. Where did you have in mind?"

Rather than words, Caroline simply gave her a wide-eyed, non-committal look.

"Alright, woman of mystery, I'm prepared to be surprised," Kate joked and left it at that.

Instead, as they drove, Kate recounted her meeting with Ellie and explained her plan to find Angela and, with a bit of luck, encourage her to come home.

"So when are you off to London?" Caroline asked.

"I think I'll catch the 9:20 train in the morning. I'll probably need to stay at least overnight."

"Right."

Caroline's attention turned back to her driving as she diverted off the main road and into the entranceway of the Valley Gardens. She drove on past several parking bays until she found the particular garden area she wanted.

"This is lovely. I haven't been here for years," Kate said enthusiastically as Caroline parked the car and proceeded to grab a small basket and thermos from the back seat.

Kate carried the blanket that lay there as well and followed Caroline who quite clearly had a specific place in mind for them. Eventually she settled for a spot with a touch of shade provided by some larger overhanging trees that had managed to hold onto some foliage despite it being autumn but still close enough to the sunlight to benefit from its weakening afternoon warmth. Kate spread the blanket out on the finely-manicured grass and Caroline placed the basket in the centre and knelt down so she could unpack the treasures it held….cheeses, fruit, chocolate.

"What brought this idea on?" Kate inquired as she too lowered herself onto the blanket.

"I've been cooped up all day in the house doing paperwork so I decided that I might like some fresh air for a bit….Do you mind?"

"No…not at all…I think it's a fabulous idea."

To show her appreciation, Kate drew Caroline away from the fussing with the food and towards her with the intention of kissing her but at the last moment Caroline turned her head and the kiss, intended for her lips, landed on her ear instead. Kate gave the woman a puzzled look. Caroline blushed with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, Kate. I'm just not used to this….it's still hard for me…it's nothing personal…I just need some time to get used to it…us…I will try to be braver but I need you to be patient with me. Consider me a work in progress."

Kate noticed the pleading in her eyes.

"Sure," Kate replied with a soft, understanding smile but then her eyes lit up as she added, "but, Caroline, you're 46 and this is 2014….you'll need to get a move along if you're going to catch up with the rest of England."

Realising she was being made fun of, Caroline gave Kate's thigh a playful slap and then focussed her interest back on the food. Kate, too, helped herself to some of the delicacies Caroline had packed.

Once their plates were empty and their stomachs full, they sat side by side in companionable silence with their legs stretched out across the blanket, thigh touching thigh, each benefitting from the warmth of the other. Their fingers intertwined as they took in the loveliness of the surrounding gardens with the carefully-architectured beds of autumn flowers; their delicate blooms in muted tones of pinks, blues and purples filled the view with magical surprise and subtle fragrances. Sneaking into their silence was the playful trickle of water as it bubbled and flowed in the nearby fountain where two cheeky, stone cherubs adorned the top, attracted, as children are, to the splash of a pool.

The sound of Kate's voice then broke the stillness.

"Can I ask you something?"

Caroline turned to look at her a little apprehensively.

"What?"

"That first time we met…in my office and we went for a drink," Kate began, "and then I told you I had an affair with a woman…do you remember?"

"Yes."

"I got the distinct impression that you weren't completely comfortable with the fact that I was gay…that you didn't approve."

"What gave you that idea?"

"Possibly the fact that you couldn't get out of the place fast enough once I'd told you," Kate laughed, "but then, just before you got into your car you kissed me….Later you said it was because you had had a couple of drinks and it was just a bit of fun but I never actually fully believed you."

A small, embarrassed smile crept onto Caroline's face as she recalled that first kiss.

"Your being gay did make me uncomfortable but not in the way you think it did."

"How then?"

Caroline hesitated for a moment.

"You see, I've been in love with a woman before," she state quietly.

With those words, Caroline had Kate's complete and undivided attention.

"When?"

"When I was 18…19…at university. It was another girl at Oxford….she was captain of the university's woman's hockey team. We had very little in common really but she had a fabulous body."

"Caroline!"

"Yes, I know, that's very shallow of me. She was studying philosophy and politics which I found all very dull."

"Unlike the thrill and excitement of chemistry and maths," Kate added dryly.

"Exactly. Anyway, I ended up falling head over heels for her. I was convinced then that I was gay…so convinced that I even told my mother."

"How did that go down?"

"Like the proverbial lead balloon. She gave me strict instructions not to tell my father…not to tell anyone, for that matter. It was the one and only time we talked about it. The subject was never raised or discussed again. My mother even tried to set me up with some of her friends' sons after that."

Caroline let out a sad, regretful sigh at the thought of all the time she had wasted attempting to please others and be something…..someone… other than her true self.

"What happened…to the girlfriend?"

"I'm ashamed to say that I was a coward….At times I seemed to lack the normal rebelliousness of youth and I succumbed to my mother's judgmental ways…"

"You dumped her?"

A rush of scarlet to Caroline's cheeks told Kate she had guessed correctly.

"But I thought you were in love with her."

"I was but my mother made it abundantly clear that that sort of thing was totally unacceptable... 'not normal'….and so…let's just say that my mother is a very opinionated, strong woman who is used to getting her way."

"What did you do?"

"I told her I needed to concentrate on my studies and couldn't afford to be in a relationship….it broke my heart…I was miserable for months. I only received Distinctions that semester rather than High Distinctions…so much for concentrating on my studies."

"So when we….up in my flat the other night…that wasn't your first time with a woman?"

"Strictly speaking, I guess not…but the hockey player was 100 years ago and it was only a couple of embarrassed fumbles really….neither of us actually knew what we were doing," Caroline explained, "although we didn't have a terrible time trying."

"That still doesn't explain why you were uncomfortable with me," Kate persisted.

"From the first time I laid eyes on you, Kate, I felt that intangible attraction but as long as I thought you were straight I knew I wouldn't go there but then, when you told me you were gay…well, that opened a whole new realm of possibilities…despite being married for 19 years those old feelings rushed to the surface…that's why I kissed you that night…I couldn't not kiss you…you were…are…beautiful."

"I'm glad you did kiss me," Kate answered as she gave Caroline's hand an affectionate squeeze.

"So am I….as a matter of fact…."

Caroline sidled up even closer to this woman who made her heart sing and, after a quick glance around to ensure they were alone, once again met those same soft, fabulous lips with her own. The kiss began innocently enough but lingered on and as it did the innocence was lost, seemingly taking with it Caroline's shyness.

It was only when a sudden shower of chill water droplets splashed on their faces and bare skin that they drew their lips apart in surprise. They both peered towards the sky for the tell-tale signs of rain but it was still a perfect azure. Then as they looked around them, they realised that the sprinklers in that part of the garden had been switched on and if they didn't move quickly they were in for a complete drenching. Amidst their laughter, they hurriedly packed away the food, grabbed the blanket and raced for the car, dodging the arc of water as the sprinklers repeated their pattern.

As Caroline once again pulled up outside the business of "McKenzie Investigations" Kate gathered her things together – her coat, her scarf and her bag.

"Do you want to come up to my flat for a bit?"

"For a bit of what?" Caroline asked, raising her eyebrows suggestively at the innuendo.

Kate gave a dramatic eye roll.

"I feel like that hockey player…You only want me for my body, don't you?…Admit it, Dr Elliot."

"I don't deny that I adore your gorgeous body, Ms McKenzie," Caroline confessed with a sly smile, "but I also have to admit that I'm quite taken with the whole package."

Caroline then took a quick glance at her watch.

"Unfortunately, I can't stay. Lawrence will be back soon and I should probably be there to ensure that he doesn't eat me out of house and home after a weekend on camping rations. When will you be back from London?"

"I'm not certain when I'll get back."

Caroline moved in closer and ran a fingertip lightly across Kate's full, sensuous bottom lip and then, unable to resist, took the lip gently between her teeth, biting softly, seductively.

Reluctantly Kate pulled away.

"If you're going to do that we need to go inside."

"I really can't," Caroline replied, the disappointment obvious in her voice. "I'd better go. Call me."

With a nod, Kate opened the door and began to step out when she felt Caroline's hand grip her wrist. She turned back only to be caught up in an intense, blue-eyed gaze.

"I…lo...adore you…you know that, don't you?" Caroline whispered with a falter.

Kate leaned back into the car, kissed Caroline lightly on the lips and replied with a warm, knowing smile, "I adore you too."

oooOooo

Promptly at 9:20 the next morning the train pulled into Harrogate Station. Despite there being plenty of available seats, Kate chose to stand for the brief trip to Leeds. Then, after a quick change of platforms at Leeds it was only a ten minute wait for the train to London.

Once on board, Kate settled into a seat next to a window and fished out from her overnight bag the novel she had begun reading the previous week but had neglected since catching up with Caroline; it was Robert Galbraith's, "The Silkworm."

Two hours and several chapters later Kate jumped trains at Kings Cross Station and arrived at Victoria Station where she left the busy rail system and went in search of somewhere convenient and, hopefully, inexpensive to stay the night.

After a walk of perhaps half a mile Kate ended up in Belgrave Rd in the foyer of the Best Western boasting a view of Westminster Abbey and the London Eye. At the reception desk she inquired about an overnight stay and was subsequently booked in.

Kate left her overnight bag in her room and then, ensuring she had her phone, wallet and room key in her handbag, she headed off in search of some lunch.

By 2:30 pm Kate had retraced her way back to Victoria Station where she caught the train to Brixton. The map on her phone showed that Rosie's Café was within walking distance of the station and if she walked briskly she would make it there before Angela as was her plan.

Halfway down Coldharbour Lane Kate came to Market Row. She stopped to check her watch. It was a quarter past three. She had fifteen minutes before Angela was to turn up….if she turned up. There was always the chance that she would renege on their meeting.

Inside the quirky café Kate resisted the enticing treats on offer and simply ordered a coffee. Ellie had arranged to meet Angela inside the café but Kate settled herself at one of the outside tables so she could keep a watch out for the girl. As she waited, Kate took another look at the photo of Angela she had saved on her phone. Ellie was right, Kate thought, the girl was very pretty with her long, glossy-brown hair, her fair skin with its dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks and her intelligent, hazel eyes. According to her parents Angela was of average height and rather slim.

Half past three came and went but there was no sign of Angela. By a quarter to four Kate had a disgruntled feeling in the pit of her stomach that maybe she'd come all this way only to be stood up, however, she continued to wait.

By four o'clock Kate was becoming restless and was considering leaving when a young girl entered the café. She seemed to be looking around for someone. Although not immediately recognizable as the girl in the photo, Kate noticed that she was about the right height for Angela but rather than being slim she was waif-like and bony. Her hair was the same colour but lank and lifeless. Then, as she looked around, Kate saw her eyes… the intelligent, hazel eyes…and recognized them immediately despite the shadowy circles that now appeared beneath them.

Afraid that the girl might leave if she didn't spot her friend, Kate approached her.

"Are you Angela? Are you looking for Ellie?" Kate asked keeping her manner friendly.

At the sound of her friend's name the girl took notice.

"Maybe," she replied warily.

Kate took that to be a 'yes.'

"I'm sorry…Ellie couldn't make it so she sent me to meet you and let you know," Kate explained trying to seem as non-threatening as possible as she could see that the girl was on edge.

"What's wrong with her? Who are you?"

"Can I get you something?" Kate offered. "Can we sit down and I'll explain?"

The girl looked eagerly at the display of food but was too proud to ask.

"Go and sit down," Kate instructed gently as she nodded towards a nearby table, "and I'll get us something."

The promise of a meal seemed to over-ride the girls desire to escape.

As Kate joined her at the table, she took in the girl's unkempt appearance. Her clothes were shabby and ill-fitting and hung loosely on her scrawny frame. The creases in her hands were black with dirt and her nails were bitten down to the quick. Life in London hadn't lived up to her expectations, of that, Kate was sure.

"It is Angela, isn't it?" Kate asked as she sat down.

The girl nodded reticently.

"Where's Ellie?" she snapped.

"Ellie couldn't make it. Her mother fell ill at the last minute so she thought it best to stay with her."

Kate couldn't help but notice that the girl seemed to be constantly on guard, the keen eyes keeping a vigilant watch at all times which Kate found a little unnerving.

"Ellie really misses you, you know…she's worried about you…so are your parents."

At the mention of her parents, Angela's eyes immediately darted back to Kate.

"How do you know my parents? Who are you again?"

"I'm Kate…Kate McKenzie…I'm a …"

Suddenly, before Kate could finish her introduction, Angela had pushed back her chair and was on her feet ready to flee like a frightened rabbit. Something or someone had startled her.

"I have to go," she said in a frantic whisper.

Kate followed the girl with her eyes as she dashed from the café. However, before she was out of sight, a man appeared and grabbed her savagely by her bony arm. Kate quickly sprung to her feet and headed outside to help her but in the time it took for her to reach the footpath, Angela had wormed her way free and was sprinting down a side alley with the stranger hot on her heels.

Recognising that Angela was in real danger, Kate joined the chase. It didn't go far, however, as the girl ducked into a dilapidated terrace house, slamming the door closed after her. Her pursuer halted and attempted to turn the door handle but it was locked. Undeterred, he slammed the flimsy door with the full force of his foot in its heavy boot, splintering it and flinging it open. The man seemed in no hurry now as he casually entered the boarded-up building knowing that his quarry was trapped inside.

Kate had held back and was observing from a short distance down the street. When she saw the man enter the house she crept up closer. Cautiously she poked her head inside the doorway, however, the stench made her immediately recoil. From where she stood she could see that the room was scattered with rubbish of every description – food scraps, empty cans and bottles, boxes and filthy, discarded clothing and stained bedding.  
Carefully picking her way across the room and breathing only when absolutely necessary, Kate made her way to the bottom of the stairs. As there was nobody in the downstairs area she assumed Angela had hidden upstairs.

Suddenly a piercing scream made Kate set her caution aside. Taking the steps two at a time, she rushed towards the source of the cry. On reaching the landing at the top of the stairs she put her hand on the knob to the door there to open it. Instantly a searing pain screamed through her skull. Her ears seemed to ring like church bells. The last thing she saw was the floor appear to come up to meet her face then her world turned an interminable black.

In the pocket of Kate's jeans her phone buzzed frantically.

"Damn it, Kate! Why aren't you answering?" Caroline muttered in frustration.


	9. Chapter 9

As Caroline entered the front door she tossed her keys into their usual spot in a dish on the small, decorative, antique table in the foyer and then headed towards the kitchen where she unceremoniously dumped her diary and some files at the end of the kitchen island. She then fished about madly in her handbag until she found her phone. For what seemed like the hundredth time that day she impatiently checked her messages and missed calls anxious for any word from Kate. Nothing.  
She had last seen Kate on Saturday night and here it was, Tuesday afternoon, and not a word from her. Where was she? She had promised she would call.  
Initially Caroline was upset that Kate had forgotten to phone her but now she was genuinely worried. Why hadn't she called? It wasn't as though they'd had a falling out.  
Out of habit Caroline filled the kettle and flipped it on and then dropped some tea leaves into the pot. While she stood and waited for the kettle to boil she drummed her fingers nervously on the bench top. She had a bad feeling. She couldn't explain it, it was just there in the pit of her stomach and she didn't know what to do. Caroline knew that Kate had gone to London but she had no idea where she was staying. She had left several text messages on Kate's phone and she had called her but there had been no replies. What was most disturbing was the fact that the first time she'd called Kate the message had gone through to her voice mail, now the calls weren't even connecting.  
With her mug of tea in one hand and her phone in the other, Caroline moved into the lounge room where she placed the phone and mug on the coffee table, kicked off her shoes and collapsed, exhausted, onto the sofa. She stretched her legs out and rested them on the low table, something she had often chastised the boys for doing but it had been a particularly difficult day and she needed to put her feet up and unwind.  
Apart from her concern about Kate, she had the school auditors due to land on Sulgrave Heath's doorstep next month and everything needed to be in impeccable order. Caroline knew she ran a tight ship but that didn't lessen the pressure so she'd spent the day drowned in paperwork, checking and double checking and then checking again that all the 'i's were dotted and the 't's crossed.  
Then, to top off her day, James Gregory, a 9th grader, had fallen out of a tree on the school grounds at lunch time. He had a suspected broken arm and an ambulance had to be called to take him to hospital. When Caroline had contacted Mrs Gregory to inform her of her son's mishap the woman had released an angry barrage of accusations at Caroline, threatening legal action against her and the school. Caroline knew that the threats were empty and would come to nothing. Once the shock had subsided and the woman had calmed down she would realise that no one had forced James to climb the tree and it was simply an accident with no one to blame other than her son but the whole ordeal, on top of everything else, still left Caroline distressed and emotionally drained.  
"Where was Kate?"  
Caroline grabbed her phone and dialled Kate's number again but still there was no answer, only that empty space at the other end of the line.  
Frustrated and upset, Caroline carelessly tossed the phone back onto the coffee table as she sat up, rested her elbows on her knees and ran her hands through her hair as was her habit when flustered or troubled.  
As she did so, her son, Lawrence, happened to walk past on yet another venture to the kitchen to satisfy the hunger pangs of the bottomless pit that was his teenage-boy's stomach. He noticed the look of despair on his mother's face as she sat on the sofa, her eyes closed, anxiously gnawing the skin around the nail on her thumb. He diverted into the room to see if he could perhaps lift her spirits.  
"A tough day at the office?" he asked as he perched himself on the arm of the sofa and put on a jovial air in the hopes of cheering her up.  
Caroline looked up at him and gave her son a nod and a weak smile.  
"I hear that idiot, James Gregory, fell out of a tree today and broke his arm….stupid twat….His mum will have a fit."  
"She did have a fit," Caroline replied, reaching out and giving Lawrence's knee an appreciative pat.  
He didn't ever say anything to his mother but it made him angry when parents decided it was appropriate to tear strips off her when their kids did something stupid.  
"Are you okay?" Lawrence asked quietly.  
He knew his mother liked to appear tough and in control which made her present state all the more perturbing to him.  
"Oh, I'm not worried about Mrs Gregory," Caroline reassured him fobbing off the matter. "She'll calm down and be all apologies tomorrow."  
"Then what's up?"  
Caroline looked into her son's concerned face and decided that this was probably as good a time as any to have the inevitable discussion with him.  
"Have you got a minute?" she asked as she moved over to give her son some room on the sofa.  
Lawrence's expression grew even more serious at the sound of those ominous words as he moved from the arm of the sofa to the cushion beside his mother.  
"Sure….Why?"  
"We need to talk….I need to tell you something."  
"What?" Lawrence asked hesitantly wondering what bad news his mother could possibly have to impart but not entirely sure he wanted to hear it.  
Caroline took a deep breath like a diver plunging into the unknown depths of the ocean.  
"I'd just thought that I should tell you that I'm seeing someone."  
"Seeing someone?" Lawrence's look of worry transformed to one of relief. "Who?"  
"Well…it's someone who has been very kind and understanding and….."  
"Who is it? What's his name?" Lawrence interjected curious to know who had taken his mother's fancy.  
"It isn't a 'he'…..I suppose we might as well get that out of the way…"  
Lawrence's face reflected his astonishment at what he was hearing and the implication of it all.  
"Her name is Kate….Kate McKenzie," Caroline continued, "she's a private investigator….she helped me when your….."  
"A private investigator!...Cool!" a wide-eyed Lawrence interrupted, "does she carry a gun?"  
"No…I don't think so," Caroline answered a little confused. This wasn't exactly the reaction she was expecting.  
"Does she investigate murders and spies?" he asked with boyish excitement. "Is she on a case now? When do I get to meet her?"  
Caroline was totally befuddled.  
"She's on a missing persons case at the moment and has had to go to London but when she gets back…"  
"Brilliant!" he said enthusiastically and then added more calmly, "Is that all?...Can I go now?"  
"Sure."  
Lawrence stood up eager to leave but before he made it as far as the doorway Caroline called to him.  
"Lawrence, because she is a private investigator her anonymity is very important so no putting it on Facebook or the like."  
Lawrence's expression of disappointment told her that she had anticipated correctly.  
"Agreed?"  
Lawrence gave a reluctant nod which didn't satisfy Caroline at all.  
"If you put it on Facebook you could be endangering her life," Caroline put to him more seriously, "so are we agreed?"  
"Agreed."  
"Oh…and Lawrence…Are you really okay with this?" Caroline inquired more gently.  
"With what? With you seeing a private investigator?...It's awesome."  
"No….with me seeing another….woman."  
"Mum, it's 2014….everybody's gay….gay is the new black….it's fine," he reassured her with an accompanying smile as he headed off to resume his mission of foraging for food in the refrigerator.  
"Well, that could have been worse," Caroline thought to herself with an inner sigh of relief. "I wonder if I'll have the same luck with my mother."  
Caroline picked up her phone and tried Kate's number one more time but, inevitably, to no avail. That niggling, uncomfortable feeling that all was not well persisted. To put her mind at some ease, Caroline decided that in the morning, if she hadn't heard from Kate, she would report the situation to the local police despite the possibility that they would perhaps think she was being somewhat paranoid and unnecessarily concerned.  
oooOooo  
As though emerging from the bottom of a deep, dark lake, Kate's consciousness swam towards the dim light at the surface until she was finally able to prise open her eyes and breathe the air. Initially, as she looked above her at the grimy, mould-covered ceiling and the bulb-less light fitting, it was as though she was peering through the eye of a fish, everything was distended and distorted but gradually her head cleared enough to allow her pupils to eventually bring the world into focus.  
Her first instinct was to try and sit up but the sudden movement sent her head into a sickening spin and her stomach lurched violently. She lay down again, waited a few more moments for the dizziness and nausea to subside, and then tried again. This time she rose more slowly until finally she was able to prop herself upright, albeit slumped against the wall for support, and view her surrounds.  
Where exactly was she, Kate wondered? How did she get here and how long had she been lying in this room? Why was her head pounding so much? She felt so terribly ill and weak.  
Suddenly it all came rushing back to her….the meeting with the girl…Angela….the chase…the scream and then the blow.  
Kate tentatively put her hand to the back of her head where the pain seemed to be stemming from. Her fingers gingerly touched a wad of damp, matted hair that was soaked with something sticky and wet. Another wave of nausea crashed over her as she realised that what she felt was her own blood. She fought valiantly to remain conscious.  
The recollection of what had happened brought with it a sense of urgency and alarm. She needed to escape.  
The only light entering the room in which she found herself was from those few determined rays of the sun that forced their way between the joins at the edge of a board which was nailed over the one glassless window on the opposite side of the room. In the dimness it was difficult for Kate to see but what she could see made her recoil in disgust as did the pungent smell of stale beer, cigarettes and urine that now penetrated her olfactory nerves.  
From what Kate could make out, the room was quite large and, at one stage, it may have been someone's main bedroom as she could see a second small room, an ensuite bathroom, off to the side. The door to this room had long since gone and the incessant drip of a leaky tap and the constantly running toilet echoed the desperate need for maintenance.  
Here and there torn strips of what had probably once been carefully-chosen wallpaper, now peeled and hung limply from the walls. Crude messages and lurid drawings had been scrawled on other parts of the walls by previous unscrupulous occupants.  
Beneath the empty take-away food containers and pizza boxes, beer bottles partially filled with damp cigarette stubs and the used drug paraphernalia that littered the floor, Kate could see glimpses of a threadbare and badly stained carpet that was pock-marked in patches by cigarette burns.  
The house had obviously, in recent times, been vacated by its owners and used as a squat as it became infested with vagrants and smackheads desperate for a roof over their head and a safe place to shoot up.  
Beside the filthy mattress that she found herself sitting on which, while being unpleasant, was preferable to the floor, she made out the shape of her handbag which had been turned inside out and its rejected contents carelessly abandoned. Amongst the items Kate spied her phone. She reached out excitedly to pick it up but when she did it disintegrated in her hands. It had been smashed beyond use. Kate remembered that it had been in the pocket of her jeans. The thought of a stranger's hand searching her pockets sent shivers of repulsion through her whole body.  
Kate's fingers fumbled through the shattered pieces of her phone, retrieving the memory card from its slot. Surprisingly, it seemed undamaged. She slipped it into her pocket.  
She then attempted to collect any other contents from her bag that were within reach, being careful not to touch the many other dubious items that also lay around.  
As Kate was sorting through the things she'd found she gradually became aware of a small, weak whimpering sound in the room. She looked up just a little too quickly to see where it was coming from, the sudden movement making her head swim, but she managed to steady herself and retain her consciousness. Straining her eyes and ears, she once again tried to locate the source of the sound, this time more slowly.  
In the dying light of what must now have been late evening, Kate could only barely make out the movement of a shadowy figure in the furthermost corner. It was a figure she hadn't noticed before in its stillness but now that it was moving slightly she could see it quite easily.  
Taking a punt, Kate called to the shape in a hushed voice not wanting to alert anyone else in the house that she was conscious.  
"Angela….Is that you?"  
Again she heard the soft cry.  
Curious and concerned, Kate went to stand so that she could make her way over to where the girl lay but she instantly discovered that her injuries weren't going to allow her to walk. As well as the wound to her head constantly threatening to make her pass out, there was a sudden, shooting pain around her rib cage. She suspected she had a broken rib or two.  
Instead, Kate was forced to crawl her way across the floor bit by bit, fighting back the bile that rose in her throat with each movement, until she finally reached where the shape lay.  
Now that she was closer and her eyes had adjusted to the increasing darkness, Kate was able to see that the bony, frail figure curled up tightly on a stale mattress was indeed Angela.  
"Angela, are you alright?" Kate asked in a whisper.  
The girl lifted her head weakly to look in Kate's direction but that was her only response. Kate suspected that she had been dosed with drugs in order to keep her docile and compliant.  
"You'll be fine," Kate said trying to reassure her. "I'll find a way to get us out safely."  
The girl's large pleading eyes peered up at her.  
Kate scanned the room again as she forced her aching brain to come up with a plan but in her weak condition it all seemed futile. There were only two ways out, the boarded-up window and the door which, if not locked, would most likely require them to risk crossing paths with the thugs that had locked them up in the first place. Kate didn't think either of them was in any fit state to fight off an attack or go creeping down stairs.  
"Maybe Angela still has a phone on her," Kate thought desperately although she knew she was grasping at straws.  
Kate patted Angela's pockets for a possible phone. Suddenly a loud explosion burst the air and rocked through the entire building vigorously shaking walls and shattering windows. Kate dived to cover Angela's fragile body. As she did, large chunks of the ceiling rained down smashing a mere foot or two from where they cowered. Clouds of dust and powdery plaster showered them for several seconds afterwards.  
When things appeared to have settled Kate gamely looked about to assess the damage and their safety. As she did so she noticed that the board that covered the window had been partially ripped away by the force of the blast. If she could get to the window and pull the remainder of it all the way off then there was a possibility that she and Angela could escape.  
Kate stayed down on her hands and knees and inch by filthy inch, through searing pain, she managed to push the single mattress and its light load towards the window. Once there, Kate collapsed beside Angela and rested for a moment. Her heart raced and her breathing was rapid. She didn't know if she had enough strength to do what she needed to do next. Would she be able to stand up and wrench the board from the window?  
As she lay there a dull roar filled her ears. Was it the sound of her own blood pounding inside her head or was it coming from elsewhere? Kate listened more carefully. It seemed to be emanating from below them. The air had become oppressively hot. Beads of perspiration broke out on Kate's skin and started to soak through her clothing. Was she feverish or was there another explanation? Then, to her horror, she noticed insidious swirls of smoke drifting up from under the door. Her brain put the clues together. The explosion had ignited a fire! Kate immediately thought of all the rubbish she'd waded through downstairs, the perfect fuel.  
With no time now to think about her pain, Kate willed her body to stand. She then clutched the side of the board that the blast had loosened and, gathering all her might, she pulled with both hands. The nails gave way considerably but not enough. Frantically, as she could sense the room filling with suffocating smoke, Kate tried once more, yanking at it desperately. Finally the nails surrendered and the board thudded to the floor sending up puffs of dust and plaster.  
Kate took a quick look out of the window. It overlooked the front of the house. There wasn't a huge drop to the ground but below was all concrete pathway. Her eyes darted urgently around the room searching for something they could use to help lower themselves to the ground or at least break their fall. Then, as she looked at the fragile frame of Angela, stirring on the mattress, an idea came to her.  
Carefully she rolled Angela off the mattress and, with an excruciating effort, stood it upright against the wall. She then edged it out the window, elated to see it flop on the path below close enough to be used as a landing pad.  
Despite the crippling pain that speared through her body, Kate knew there was no time for rest, her lungs scorching as they filled with the hot, acrid smoke that now began to billow into the room. Coughing and wheezing as the smoke burnt its way down her oesophagus, she picked up the bird-like frame of Angela and carried her to the window where she explained to the terrified girl what she was going to do.  
"Angela, I want you to hold onto my hands as tightly as you can and I'm going to lower you out of the window. When I say to, I want you to let go….there's a mattress below to break your fall….do you think you can do that?"  
She stared up at Kate, wide-eyed and frightened but she nodded.  
As Kate gripped Angela's hand and prepared to lower her, she heard, not too far away, the promising sound of whaling sirens. Hopefully they wouldn't be too late.  
Angela held Kate's wrist in a vice-like grip that almost cut off her circulation. Steadily, trying not to rush despite the impending danger, the scared girl was lowered down as far as they could manage. It was now only a matter of six or seven feet to the ground.  
"Are you ready to let go?" Kate called down to her.  
There was no reply. Kate could feel her own grip slipping and her energy stalling.  
"Angela, you have to let go…you'll be fine."  
To Kate's enormous relief, Angela released her grip and tumbled safely onto the mattress below. She watched as the girl picked herself up and, staggering a little, took a few steps away from the house, looking back up at the window…up at Kate…her face a picture of horrified helplessness.  
With no one to lower her down, Kate was going to have to jump the full distance. Mentally she readied herself for the possibility of a few broken bones but that idea was preferable to the thought of being engulfed in fire.  
Flames now licked at the walls behind her but as she prepared to climb onto the window sill her knees buckled and her legs melted away from beneath her. Her strength had deserted her. Kate collapsed helplessly onto the hot floor; her head pounded in agony and her vision blurred until unconsciousness finally took away the torment.  
oooOooo  
A large, curious crowd had gathered on the footpath and in the nearby front yards opposite the burning terrace house to watch as neighbours were quickly evacuated and the fire brigade's hoses were trained on the hungry flames; each person speculating as to what had caused the initial explosion and the subsequent fire while recounting their own version of events to one another…..each one noting too the arrival and then rapid departure of a number of ambulances.  
Eventually the flames were doused and the crowd dispersed as the excitement died down. Only a few dedicated onlookers remained to witness the morbid sight of a body wrapped in its drab, plastic body bag, being removed from the ashes and placed in the waiting coroner's van where it would be dashed away to the morgue for examination.  
oooOooo  
Uncertain as to what she was actually doing, Caroline wandered about aimlessly in her kitchen supposedly preparing some breakfast for herself but she was too worried to eat and too distracted to settle. As Lawrence ate his cereal seated on a stool at the kitchen island, he watched on quite perturbed by his mother's obvious agitation.  
The previous night over dinner, Caroline had explained to him what was happening and he could understand her anxiety but he was used to her always putting on a brave face and having the matter in hand. He found the sight of his mother so worried very disconcerting.  
It was while Caroline was going through the motions of making a cup of tea that the discordant sound of her phone ringing disrupted the disquiet. Immediately she reached to answer it. In her haste she dropped her tea cup into the sink where it had shattered noisily but she didn't care.  
"Hello."  
Lawrence studied his mother's face carefully as she spoke and then, in turn, listened. However, he didn't know what to make of what he saw. Her lips trembled in a weak smile but tears flooded down her cheeks.  
As she ended the call Caroline quickly brushed away the tears with a tea towel that lay nearby, cleared her constricted throat and snapped into action. She snatched Lawrence's cereal from in front of him and placed it in the sink. Breakfast was over apparently. She then instructed him to go upstairs and put some clothes in a bag, enough for a three day stay at his Gran's, and to be quick about it.  
"What's happening?" a confused Lawrence asked. "Was that about Kate? Is she safe?"  
"Just do it," Caroline barked and then added apologetically, "I'll explain it all in the car."  
While Lawrence dashed upstairs to pack a bag, Caroline phoned Sulgrave Heath where she spoke to Beverley.  
"I'm going to be away for the rest of the week," Caroline explained to her assistant, all the while fighting to keep her manner business-like, "…..there's been a bit of a family emergency….."  
Her voice crackled as she attempted to rein in her burgeoning emotions.  
"…..yes, everything is going to be fine….really….."  
She swallowed hard as a lump formed in her throat.  
"….Can you re-schedule any meetings and make my apologies?…..yes, thank you...I should be back on Monday...Bye."  
With that matter dealt with, Caroline then went to her bedroom and hastily packed herself an overnight bag as well.  
It took an enormous amount of willpower and self-control for Caroline not to press the accelerator of the jeep to the floor as she drove Lawrence to stay with Celia and Alan in their newly-purchased bungalow on Ripponden Bank while she continued on to London.  
On the way, Caroline shared with Lawrence the little that she knew about Kate's whereabouts and recent events.  
"She didn't enlighten me much really," Caroline explained, "other than to say that while she was tracking down this missing girl she sustained a head injury and at one stage she and the girl were trapped in a house fire that was started by someone cooking up chemicals on a crude gas burner."  
An astounded Lawrence gave his mother an incredulous look.  
"Coo…..I mean…Is Kate alright?" he asked, "Where is she now?….in hospital?"  
"She was rescued from the fire and taken to the hospital with the head injury and breathing problems caused by smoke inhalation but she thinks that the doctor will discharge her this afternoon."  
"Why didn't she ring you earlier?"  
"She couldn't contact me because her phone had been destroyed."  
Caroline sensed there was more to the story….a lot more…than what Kate had told her when she finally did phone that morning but she could wait for the details. For now all she wanted to do was get to London and be with her to check for herself that the woman was, in fact, okay.  
Caroline pulled the jeep up in the steep drive at the rear of the bungalow. The sound of her tyres on the gravel alerted Celia and Alan to their arrival and the pair came bundling out to greet them. Lawrence grabbed his bag from the backseat, gave his Gran a quick peck on the cheek and Alan a manly pat on the shoulder and then disappeared indoors, eager to set up his X-box. Caroline stayed in the car such was her haste to continue her journey.  
"Do you want to come in for a cup of tea before you head off, love?" Alan asked thoughtfully.  
"I'm sorry….I can't stop…I have to get going….It's a kind of emergency," Caroline replied keen to keep going but not wanting to seem rude.  
"An emergency? What kind of emergency?" Celia piped up.  
"It will be fine, mum…..I'll explain everything when I get back….I have to go."  
"Right….slink off then."  
Caroline gave her mother a small, apologetic smile.  
"Oh…and don't let Lawrence spend all his time on the X-box….he has an assignment to complete," she put in as she turned the key in the ignition.  
"Bye."  
"Bye bye."  
Caroline carefully reversed her car back up the driveway, pulled out onto the road and sped towards London. She hoped the A1 wasn't going to be too chaotic as she didn't think her already-frayed nerves would cope.  
oooOooo  
Despite a relatively trouble-free drive, it was nearly four and a half hours...an eternity... before Caroline was able to, at last, pull into the parking area of the Best Western in Belgrave Rd, Central London. As she reached for her overnight bag and made her way to the reception desk she forced herself to remain calm.  
Kate had left instructions at the desk for Caroline to be given a key to her room so she could let herself in if need be. With the key held firmly in her hand, Caroline caught the elevator to the third floor. As it came to an abrupt halt and the doors opened Caroline could feel her heart racing. She walked a short distance along the hallway and rapped lightly on the door of room 312 so as not to startle Kate and then used the key to let herself in.  
Kate lay on the bed propped up by several pillows, watching the television. Her head was quite heavily bandaged.  
Caroline took one look and gasped, "Why aren't you still in hospital?"  
"Hello to you too," Kate teased but with a huge grin on her face. She didn't think there could possibly be a better sight than that of the gorgeous woman who stood before her.  
"Sorry…...Hello."  
Caroline tossed her bag into a nearby corner and then leant over and placed a gentle kiss on Kate's enticing mouth.  
"It's just a shock to see you like this ….with all that bandaging. Are you sure you're okay to leave the hospital?" Caroline inquired as she sat herself down on the bed beside Kate. She desperately wanted to wrap the woman in her arms and never let her go but Caroline thought that she looked like she may still be in some pain so instead she reached for Kate's hands and held them tightly.  
"They've cleaned me up…..put in some stiches…..about twenty I was told…..run some tests and x-rayed my chest for broken ribs but everything is fine…they gave me the 'all clear' and I was discharged but with strict instructions to rest and return immediately if I feel dizzy or nauseous or overly sleepy," Kate explained, "although I think they were keen to get me out of there….they probably needed the bed for someone else….either that or they didn't appreciate me chatting up the nurses."  
Caroline looked at Kate doubtfully.  
"Do you have any of those symptoms?"  
Kate sat up, crooked a finger under Caroline's chin and drew her mouth in close enough to give her a long, languid kiss. Oh how she'd missed the exquisite touch of those marvellous lips.  
"I'm fine…well, not fine exactly….there's a few aches and pains and bruises…..but I'm going to be okay….honestly," Kate reassured her after their lips eventually parted.  
Kate noticed Caroline's chin give a slight tremble.  
As the realisation sank in that Kate was truly alive and well, all the worry and anxiousness of the last few days began to overwhelm her and huge, wet tears spilled down Caroline's cheeks.  
Kate moved over to make room on the bed. Caroline kicked off her shoes and tucked herself in beside her. Kate held Caroline in close with one hand and gently stroked her silky, blonde hair with the other until she felt the woman's soft sobs subside.  
Wiping away the last of her tears, Caroline sat up feeling a little embarrassed at her unusual outburst.  
"I'm sorry, Kate….I'm being foolish….I don't know why I'm blubbing like a big baby."  
Kate peered into the magnificent, blue eyes then placed an understanding kiss on Caroline's forehead, the tip of her perfect nose and finally on her soft lips.  
"It's alright, Caroline, really."  
"Actually, I do know why... I was so worried, Kate…worried beyond belief that you'd been hurt….or even worse….that you'd been taken from me forever."  
Afraid that the tears would begin to flow again, Caroline stopped briefly to compose herself.  
"You know that I do ….," Caroline began and then hesitated.  
"What?"  
"You know that I do love you?"  
Kate gave Caroline a heart-melting smile.  
"Yes, I do know but it does wonderful things to me to actually hear you say those words….and you do know that I love you."  
Instantly Caroline understood what Kate meant and, possibly for the first time in her life, she felt the true power and beauty of those three small but exquisite, life-changing words.


	10. Chapter 10

Winter was rapidly approaching the many boroughs of Yorkshire. Each evening the sun was disappearing below the horizon a little earlier rolling back with it the warmth of the day and leaving a distinct chill in the air. To stave off the cold that had begun to envelop the undulating hills and valleys of Ripponden Bank with the onset of night, Alan had started a fire and now lively flames flickered comfortingly in the fireplace of the recently–purchased bungalow that Celia and Alan had moved into only a matter of a few months ago after eventually tiring of all the to-ing and fro-ing between Gillian's farm at Halifax and Caroline's house in Harrogate.  
The remnants of a late dinner had been cleared away by Lawrence while Alan rummaged determinedly amongst the mystery contents of various yet-to-be unpacked boxes until he was successful in locating the Trivial Pursuit which he then cheerily proceeded to set up on the dining room table. Celia had convinced Lawrence to abandon his X-box and join them in a game, not that he truly minded. He quite enjoyed the company of his Gran, even more so now that Alan was there too. Alan's presence seemed to have mellowed his sometimes brusque grandmother and, more often than not these days, she could be seen with a contented smile on her face rather than the familiar disgruntled frown of the past. The acerbic tongue that she had often unleashed indiscriminately on all members of the family was now calmed although some things would never change as Celia still liked to call things as she saw them but Alan was well up for the challenge, even getting the better of her on more than one occasion although it was all done with a playful glint in his eye and a teasing smile. The bitter bemoaning of past regrets were now replaced with lively anecdotes of what she and Alan had been up to as they always managed to find themselves firmly ensconced in some disastrous dilemma of one kind or another. Lawrence's particular favourite was their recount of the afternoon when they had managed to get themselves locked in at Southowram Hall with nobody around to alert of their whereabouts other than the resident spirits that are reputed to haunt the place. Neither Celia nor Alan are firm believers in the afterlife but they still attest to some strange and inexplicable goings-on that night. Although humorous in the retelling after the fact, at the time they had at least half of West Yorkshire police force out looking for them and Gillian, Alan's daughter, and Caroline in particular, were worried sick. All in all, Lawrence found his Gran and Alan to be very entertaining so it was no great chore for him to pass the time with them that evening in the friendly rivalry of a game of Trivial Pursuit.  
Celia placed a mug of hot, sugary tea in front of both Alan and Lawrence as well as a plate of cream biscuits and then sat down at the table with her hands wrapped for warmth around her own mug of tea. Alan rolled the die enthusiastically and then advanced his token.  
"Blue…Geography," he announced cheerfully, confident in his ability to answer the question and get his first wedge of 'pursuit pie'.  
Lawrence took the card from the top of the deck but, before he was able to ask the question, Celia interrupted.  
"Lawrence, what's this emergency your mother has had to attend to in London of all places?  
Without giving it a second thought, or possibly even a first thought, Lawrence replied, "She's gone to fetch Kate…What's the term for a resident of Liverpool?" he then asked Alan.  
"Kate? Who's Kate?" Celia persisted, "I don't know of any Kate."  
"Mum's been seeing her," Lawrence answered nonchalantly and then added, "She's a private investigator."  
"Liverpooler…no…Liverpoolee….no…Liverpudlian!" Alan finally announced jubilantly as he collected his blue wedge and dropped it in the token, all the time keeping a subtle, watchful eye on Celia to gauge her reaction to Lawrence's words, unsure of what to expect.  
"Seeing her? Surely you don't mean 'seeing her' as in…"  
"She's mum's partner," Lawrence explained innocently, oblivious to the turmoil his revelations would create. "Kate was hurt ….a head injury or something….while she was solving her latest case….finding a missing person….she spent a couple of days in hospital but she's okay now and mum's gone to London to bring her home….mum was worried out of her brain about her."  
Looking for a distraction as he could now see the confusion and distaste on Celia's face, Alan passed the die to Lawrence so he could have his turn. As he did, he gave his wife a barely perceptible shake of his head and a slight frown that advised her to perhaps not say too much more on the topic and not to worry the lad about it anymore. However, he needn't have bothered as it was one of those rare occasions when Celia was too gobsmacked to comment further so instead she returned her attention to the game.  
"Whose roll is it?" she asked with an obvious lack of enthusiasm now that her mind was taken up with this other matter.  
Lawrence tumbled the die across the table and moved his token. Celia, however, continued to churn Lawrence's words over in her head paying very little attention to the game at hand.  
It was just over an hour later when Alan triumphantly gave the correct answer … 'Manchester United'… to his final question thus winning the game and taking the honours.  
Lawrence stretched and yawned demonstrably before signalling that he was done for the night and was off to bed.  
"Clean your teeth," Celia called after him as he headed towards the rooms at the end of the hall.  
He responded with a "Yes, Gran," and a giant eye roll.  
"When were they going to realise he wasn't a kid anymore?" he asked himself as he bypassed the bathroom totally forgetting about his teeth.  
Celia distractedly collected up the empty mugs and plate and took them into the kitchen where she dropped them with a loud 'clunk' into the sink. Her jaw was squared and her mind preoccupied as she turned on the tap and waited for the sink to fill with water, her eyes staring into the suds.  
Noting her pensive look, Alan asked, "Are you alright, love?"  
Celia turned off the tap and hung her head dolefully but didn't answer.  
Alan joined her at the sink with a tea towel in his gentle, aged hands.  
"What's up?" he asked, his voice laden with concern.  
"Could he truly not see it?" she wondered.  
After some moments spent gathering her thoughts, Celia finally answered him.  
"It's what Lawrence said….about Caroline and that woman…that Kate…Do you think he's got it right?"  
Gauging the delicacy of the subject, Alan replied diplomatically, "Maybe we shouldn't jump to any conclusions until you've had a chance to talk to Caroline….the lad may have it all wrong way about."  
Celia continued as though not hearing, or at least heeding, Alan's words.  
"What's she doing with a woman? She's been married to that complete waste of space, John, for nigh on twenty years….Why would she choose now to jump the…."  
Thinking she may have just answered her own question, Celia stopped there. With a fair degree of automation, she placed the washed mugs and plate in the drainer, dried her hands on a nearby hand towel and then shuffled her way back into the dining room where she slumped into one of the wooden chairs at the table. The weight of worry seemed to have instantly aged her as her forehead crinkled with anxious furrows, her mouth turned down and her hands fidgeted fretfully with her fingernails.  
Alan seated himself on the chair beside her and placed his own hand over hers in a comforting gesture.  
"He'll have got hold of wrong end of stick….best you don't worry," he tried to reassure her but she was having none of it.  
"She told me….When she was 18, she told me…19…end of her first year at Oxford. She came home…I hardly recognised her…skinny as a rake and she'd cut all her lovely, long hair off," Celia began glumly.  
"Told you what?"  
Not wanting to say the actual words, Celia continued hoping that Alan would catch on.  
"I said, 'well for God's sake don't tell your father…or anyone else for that matter…not around here'…I didn't want folk pointing…saying things…not for me, not for my sake…for hers."  
"What folk?"  
"Oh…folk," Celia replied determinedly holding back the tears that were building up.  
"What happened? Did she have a friend?"  
"There was one girl…a hockey player who I did wonder about…you know, when you hear them say a name once too often in a particular way…but it wasn't anybody she brought home….and then a few years past and she met John and it was forgotten…I imagined she got over it."  
Celia rested her elbows on the table and covered her distraught face with her hands. It was the first time she had shared this particular bit of information with anyone for fear of judgement and reprisal and to hear her thoughts …her fears…spoken out loud ….brought her feelings of guilt and confusion flooding back.  
To her surprise she heard Alan say, "Does it matter if she's with a woman? If this Kate's a nice person….and it sounds very much like she is….well, surely that's what matters, isn't it?  
Celia was astounded. Didn't he understand the repercussions if it was all true?  
"It's nowt these days…nobody bats an eyelid…I think you just need time to get used to the idea," he added.  
Celia shot him a look of doubt. She did not share his optimism or generous views.  
oooOooo  
Kate was adamant that she was perfectly fine and fit enough for the drive back to Harrogate the very next day but Caroline was unyielding in her insistence that with her injuries, as well as the arduous ordeal down at the police station where she had been held up for hours providing a statement, Kate needed to rest up for another day before attempting the long and often slow return trip.  
It was on the Friday that they awoke early and were dressed, packed and ready to leave first thing in the morning in the hope of avoiding the chaos that was often the A1 in the lead up to the weekend. As they stood at the reception desk going through the procedure of checking out, the girl behind the counter was the only other presence about them. Every other sensible person was still tightly tucked up in bed.  
Despite it being London, the only other signs of life they saw out on the grey street at this time of the day were the one or two mandatory, early morning dog walkers and the occasional jogger….even the resident pigeons considered it too ungodly an hour to be up and about.  
Rugged up against the cold press of the rapidly encroaching winter, Caroline and Kate walked with brisk steps around to the reserved parking spaces where Caroline had left the Jeep. A wispy rise of vapour made their every exhaled breath visible as the warm air from their lungs mixed with the crisp morning chill.  
Caroline tossed their overnight bags onto the back seat and then accompanied Kate to her passenger seat, ensuring she was comfortably secure. Finding it pointless to complain, Kate gave up trying to convince Caroline that she was alright and that she didn't need fussing over and, instead, went with the flow, deciding that Caroline would eventually work it out of her system. Besides, it had been quite some time since Kate had had someone who truly cared enough about her to fuss so she would relax and indulge herself in Caroline's pampering.  
As it was still dark outside Caroline turned on the headlights then reversed out of the carpark and nosed her vehicle out onto the street. She cautiously wormed the Jeep through the London streets being careful not to brake too suddenly or unnecessarily jolt her wounded passenger until eventually they hit the A1. At this early hour, although not totally devoid of other travellers, the traffic was sparse and free-flowing.  
Kate had spent much of their last day or so together either drowsily awake or sleeping as the painkillers she'd been prescribed gradually took effect so, although Caroline had a million and one questions she wanted to ask, she had refrained, preferring to wait until Kate was rested and more prepared to talk about the trauma she had been through. With a long drive ahead of them, however, now seemed as good a time as any to test the waters Caroline thought.  
"Do you know how the girl….Angela… is fairing?" Caroline ventured as she slipped them into a clear lane.  
"She'll be well enough in time," Kate answered thoughtfully, unsure as to whether one did ever really recover completely from an ordeal such as the one Angela had experienced. "Her parents came to visit me when I was in hospital…to thank me…Angela was in the same hospital but a different ward…I visited her before I left but she was sleeping so I didn't disturb her…Her fragile body looked as thin as a rail tucked under the hospital blankets however the nurse reassured me that she was making a good recovery."  
The image of the pale figure lying peacefully now in the hospital bed conjured itself up in Kate's mind and made her ponder what might have happened to both of them if things had gone a little differently. Although it didn't seem like it at the time, Lady Luck had definitely been with them that day.  
"What's going to happen with her?" Caroline asked, jogging Kate from her reflections.  
"According to her mother, Angela's looking forward to returning to Harrogate with them once she's been discharged….I've no doubt she'll be more than happy to be among friends again….she certainly experienced the more seedy side of London life."  
"I read in the newspaper that the fire started when two men in the house were 'cooking' some chemicals to make drugs…the cocktail and then a gas cylinder exploded which started the blaze."  
"There was certainly at least one very loud explosion," Kate confirmed as she remembered the way the walls shook and the shattering of glass in the windows followed soon after by the sight of toxic curls of smoke seeping under the door and then the fierce roar of the flames.  
"The report said that one man in his early twenties was killed and another seriously injured," Caroline added.  
"One of those will be Angela's boyfriend, Andrew Southby, I suspect….what a 'catch' he turned out to be."  
Subconsciously Kate lifted her fingers to her wound, now free of its heavy bandage, and felt the swollen lump there. She wondered which one of the men had been the one that struck her.  
"I'm almost certain it was the Southby lad that the papers reported as being the deceased."  
Kate reflected for a moment on that news. Although she generally didn't wish people ill will or harm, she couldn't help thinking that the world and, undoubtedly, Angela's patch of it, would be a better place without Andrew Southby and the likes.  
Caroline took a brief glance over at her passenger. It was obvious that Kate's strength was waning as the morning's dose of pain killers were taking effect. She decided to put off asking any further questions for now. They had a considerable drive ahead of them. Maybe Kate would be up to talking further about it later and if not, Caroline would wait.  
"After all," she found herself thinking, "we have the rest of our lives together to discuss it."  
The thought had simply jumped into her mind without persuasion or pondering and she admitted the truth of it….she really did want to spend the rest of her life with this woman.  
The rhythm of the car and the warm air from the heater combined with the effects of her medication soon had Kate sleeping soundly as Caroline drove unhindered along the black ribbon of road leading ever closer towards Harrogate.  
It was probably almost an hour before Kate awoke again. Groggy at first, she sat silently observing the passing scenery and trying to get her bearings.  
"Where are we?" she asked her driver.  
"About an hour from Harrogate," Caroline replied.  
As the torpor lifted and her head cleared Kate realised that she hadn't really told Caroline what had happened to her in any sort of detail and that she was probably wondering but being too considerate to ask. Kate also suddenly felt the need to purge all of the insanity of what had happened from her mind and onto a friendly ear.  
"Do you mind, Caroline, if I talk about what happened?" Kate asked.  
"Not at all."  
"But you have to promise to tell me if I'm boring you," she added.  
Caroline turned and gave her a quick smile.  
For the last hour of their drive Kate disclosed to Caroline most of the details of what she could remember. She told how she had met up with Angela at the café but then Angela had been chased away. She explained how she had followed and heard a scream then attempted to rescue the girl but was soundly walloped into unconsciousness. When she eventually woke up she found herself lying on a filthy mattress on the floor of a squalid room in an all-but-abandoned terrace house used by drug addicts, dealers and the generally down-and-out, her head bleeding and her body wracked with pain. Kate described the explosion, the subsequent fire and how she managed to lower Angela to safety only to blackout before saving herself but then being rescued by the timely arrival of the fire brigade. Apparently they had been met by an almost hysterical Angela who alerted them to the fact that Kate was still inside the burning house. She recalled the hot flames literally licking at her heels as she was being lifted from the floor and carried out of the window to safety and the reverberating crash of the brick wall that formed the front of the house only seconds after she'd escaped.  
Caroline's stomach twisted into tight knots as she listened to Kate's story. Nausea rose through her body to the point where she thought she was going to be physically ill as she became increasingly aware of how incredibly close Kate had come to perishing in that house.  
As a distraction to her imagining what might have happened and to clear the black dots forming in her vision, Caroline made an extra effort to focus on the road ahead. Her arms were rigid with tension and her hands now had a white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel. She swallowed hard on the lump of emotion constricting her throat. Her eyes brimmed with tears which she stubbornly held back.  
Noticing the strain in Caroline's body and face and her sustained silence, Kate asked, "Caroline, are you okay?"  
The soothing sound of Kate's concerned voice interrupted her thoughts and reminded her that Kate was, in reality, alive and well and with her instead of on a cold, metal tray down at the morgue lying beside the charred, expired body of Andrew Southby. Her worry and 'what ifs' immediately turned to intense gratitude and heart-bursting love. A single, grateful tear managed to escape and roll down her cheek.  
Sensing that she was the cause of Caroline's upset, Kate ran a consoling hand along the woman's thigh and brushed gently at the tear with her fingers.  
"I'm sorry, Caroline," she said softly.  
"Don't be ridiculous," Caroline scoffed lightly but with a falter in her voice, "you've nothing to be sorry for…I'm just being…I don't know…emotional."  
Caroline then turned her head to give Kate a split-second smile before focussing back on her driving.  
For the remainder of their journey Kate kept the conversation flowing on more light-hearted topics; their recollection of the expression on John's face when he had barged in on them in Caroline's bedroom kept them amused for miles. Caroline also recounted to Kate her conversation with Lawrence about their relationship.  
"He was brilliant about it," Caroline explained, "apparently it's 'cool' to be gay at the moment….probably the first time in my life I've ever been 'cool'…but it's been worth the wait."  
Kate laughed to herself at both Lawrence's take on things and Caroline's complete obliviousness to how wonderful and 'cool' she really was or, at least, she was in Kate's eyes.  
"But I'm not a patch on you apparently," Caroline continued, "being a private investigator somehow makes you way cooler than a mere Head Teacher….you're super cool….he can't wait to meet you."  
This time Kate laughed out loud and Caroline joined in.  
"I hope he's not disappointed when he sees that I'm just your average person."  
"I doubt it….and you're hardly average….you're beautiful….and he'll adore you just like I do."  
oooOooo  
It had been an incident-free drive and by mid-morning Caroline was turning the Jeep into the driveway of her home in Harrogate. Noticing that John's car, and hopefully John, wasn't there, she gave a mental sigh of relief. He was literally the last person she wanted to see at this time except, perhaps, for her mother.  
Caroline fussed for a moment with her keys and then unlocked the front door to the house and led Kate up to her bedroom, this time Kate insisting that she was able to carry her own bag. However, Kate did admit that the trip had taken its toll on her as she was far from fully-recovered either physically or mentally from her ordeal so she thought it would be best if she simply lay down and rested for a while. Caroline made sure she had everything she needed and then offered to make them both a cup of tea but by the time she returned to the bedroom with the tea Kate was sound asleep. Unable to resist, Caroline placed a gentle kiss on the dark, smooth cheek before leaving her to her dreams and heading back downstairs, closing the bedroom door behind her.  
Caroline carried her cup of tea into the living room and plonked herself down on the sofa. If she was being honest, she too was quite exhausted from all the emotional upheaval of the last few days. As she sipped her tea, she recalled how only a few days previous she had sat in the same place worried sick about Kate,not knowing where she was, unable to contact her and with an awful feeling in the pit of her stomach that all was not well…an eerily accurate feeling as it turned out. Again, the idea of how close she came to losing Kate crept into her brain giving her the sudden urge to race upstairs and tell Kate how much she had missed her in the months they had been apart while she was busy sorting out her wreck of a marriage, to tell her now how much she loved her but she knew Kate would be asleep….she wouldn't disturb her. However, she did promise herself that she would voice those sentiments to Kate at the first opportunity she had.  
In need of a distraction, Caroline thought about phoning William but, after looking at her watch, she decided that he would probably still be in lectures. Instead, she made herself a second cup of tea and then headed for her study where there was always work for her to do. With the school audit only a week away, there was a myriad of final checks and balances to be completed.  
oooOooo  
The next morning both women woke feeling rejuvenated after the benefit of a sound night's sleep. As Caroline lay on her back, awake but with her eyes closed, she sensed the light touch of Kate's fingers almost floating over her body and the sensuous press of the woman's lips on her full breasts, the caress of her breath making her nipples swell and harden. Caroline stifled a moan as she felt Kate's warm, moist mouth envelop one of them and stroke it with her velvety tongue.  
"Are you well enough for this?" Caroline struggled to ask through the rising commotion of her desire.  
"Absolutely," was Kate's sultry reply, "in fact, I may die if I don't do it."  
Before Caroline could feign protest any further, Kate shifted her attention to Caroline's other nipple, teasing it until Caroline's back arched sharply, pushing her breast deeper into Kate's mouth.  
As Kate was about to slide a hand between Caroline's thighs their activity was abruptly brought to a halt by the distinct crunch of tyres on the gravel drive followed by the slam of a car door.  
"Who the hell is that?" Caroline growled indignantly at the untimely interruption.  
With the moment inevitably lost, Caroline rose out of bed to investigate the perpetrators of the disruption.  
"That had better not be my jerk of a husband," Caroline muttered to herself as she donned her robe that lay on the end of the bed.  
Kate hid an amused smile behind her hand. For some reason, unbeknown even to herself, she found 'haughty, irate Caroline' to be incredibly sexy as long, she supposed, that the ire wasn't raised at her. Caroline flung back the curtain to the bedroom window and peered out, anxious to see who had spoiled her morning.  
"Bloody John….I might have known…his timing is impeccable."  
Caroline then noticed another vehicle enter the drive.  
"And there's someone else behind him….that had better not be bloody Judith."  
Feeling entirely something else now, Caroline dressed and stomped off down the stairs to greet the focus of her fury. As John reached to put his key in the front door it was wrenched open and his stern-faced wife glared at him.  
"What do you think…."  
She swallowed the rest of her angry sentence as she recognised their real estate agent standing behind John and, while Caroline had been storming down the stairs, a third party had arrived.  
Caroline pasted a small, embarrassed smile on her face as John did the introductions. "Caroline, I'm sure you remember Douglas, our real estate agent…."  
"Of course," Caroline replied, doing her best to seem cordial, "come in."  
Douglas gave Caroline a friendly smile and a nod of his head in return and then made his way inside.  
"…..and Douglas has brought along Mr and Mrs Shaftsbury….they're interested in buying the house and have come to have a bit of an inspection."  
With more stiffly polite smiles and greetings all around, Caroline stepped aside and allowed the Shaftsbury couple and finally John into the house.  
While the agent and the perspective buyers headed immediately towards the kitchen, Douglas providing a running commentary for them on the features of the house, Caroline yanked her husband into the living room.  
"Why didn't you tell me someone was coming to inspect the house?" she whispered savagely through clenched teeth.  
"I did," John replied innocently, "I sent you a text yesterday afternoon. When you didn't reply, I assumed it suited you."  
Caroline reeled in her anger. She had been so caught up in matters to do with Kate that she hadn't even thought to check her phone since about Thursday morning.  
"The thing is, John….Kate is upstairs in the bedroom," she explained a little more mildly.  
"Can't she leave….at least until this is done?"  
"No….she's been hurt….she has a head injury…."  
John looked puzzled for a moment. What had they been up to for the other woman to get a head injury he wondered?  
"I'm not going to go into it now, John, but do they have to go into the bedroom….can't you steer them away?"  
"It's the main bedroom….of course they'll want to see it. Listen, Caroline, these people are the first interested buyers we've had in months, I don't want you and your… girlfriend …screwing it up," John spat impatiently, pointing an accusing finger at her.  
Caroline turned on her heels and stomped back up to the bedroom, taking a moment to calm herself down before entering.  
"What's going on?" Kate asked, reading Caroline's perturbed expression.  
Caroline sat down on the bed beside her and explained, "The real estate agent has brought over some clients who are interested in buying the house …. Apparently John sent me a text about it but because I haven't checked …. Anyway, they're having a look through….the thing is they'll want to come in here… Kate, I hate to ask…"  
Caroline hesitated.  
"What?" Kate asked.  
"Do you feel well enough to go downstairs and perhaps wait in the kitchen?" Caroline began apologetically, "just until they've seen the rest of the house….they've already been in the kitchen."  
Kate smiled obligingly.  
"Of course," she answered much to Caroline's relief.  
Her reward was a searing kiss that wreaked havoc on her every nerve ending from her toes to the top of her head. Having started what they had earlier that morning, Caroline was having great difficulty quelling the demands of desire that had been ignited, despite all the other distractions that were occurring around her.  
"Unless you want your buyers to find two naked women making mad, passionate love in this bedroom, you and I need to go to the kitchen as soon as possible," Kate suggested, slightly breathless but with a teasing smile and smouldering eyes.  
Kate then came under the audacious stare of Caroline's magnificent, blue eyes which clearly revealed her unmistakeable and uncensored thoughts. Not knowing how long her resistance would hold out, Kate quickly found her overnight bag, hauled out some clothes, dressed and accompanied a rather 'hot and bothered' Caroline down to the kitchen.  
Putting her 'needs' aside for the time being, Caroline went off to track down the potential buyers. Meanwhile Kate proceeded to take advantage of being confined to the kitchen and made herself some breakfast, being careful to not to leave any mess. She also put on the kettle to brew some tea.  
Caroline caught up and joined John and the rest of the troupe as they were making their way up the staircase to the upper floor where the bedrooms and bathrooms were.  
As they went into each room Mrs Shaftsbury inspected every nook and cranny and gave a continuous, running commentary on the things she would need to change if they bought the place….she disliked Caroline's chosen subtle colour scheme and preferred something a bit bolder; there were some features that could be removed despite their being integral to the character of the house and she found Caroline's choice of floor covering to be, in her own words, 'horrendous'.  
It was just as Caroline had come to the end of her tether and could take no more of the woman's inane criticism and tackiness and was about to tell her that they would sell the house to her and her husband only when hell freezes over, that the party made their way out of the front door and, after a few limp handshakes and promises to get back to each other, they were all reversing out the driveway, John included.  
Disheartened by what she had seen and heard, Caroline strolled glumly back into the kitchen to see what Kate was doing. She knew she shouldn't be so attached to the place but she couldn't help it. She had put so much into it….worked so hard for it….it was perfect.  
Not wanting to burden Kate with any of her problems, Caroline put on a brave face as she entered the kitchen but it took only one look into those revealing, blue eyes for Kate to realise that all was not well.  
"They're not interested then?" Kate asked trying to get to the bottom of the problem.  
Caroline shrugged.  
"Who knows?" she replied without enthusiasm.  
Kate moved closer and encircled Caroline in her arms.  
"What's wrong?"  
"Nothing…I'm fine…really," Caroline replied.  
Kate removed her arms from around Caroline and made to walk out of the room.  
Surprised by this reaction, Caroline asked, "Where are you going?"  
Kate turned and gave the woman a stern, dark-eyed glare.  
"You promised me that you would share your problems with me….let me help you when you needed it rather than turn me away….allow me into that inner sanctum….Do you remember?  
Caroline nodded. Had she failed her first test?  
"If you can't share with me and let me help you then I'm leaving."  
Caroline ran her hands through her thick, blond hair. She doubted that Kate was bluffing and even if she was, Caroline was not willing to risk calling her on it.  
"I'm sorry, Kate…this is hard for me….It's not what I'm used to….Come back… I will try."  
Kate's look immediately softened and she returned to her, wrapped the woman in her arms and kissed her lightly on the lips.  
"Do you want to tell me about it upstairs?"  
Again Caroline nodded.  
oooOooo  
Once they were in the bedroom Kate slipped off her shoes, plumped up the pillows and lay down on the bed. Caroline chose to sit rather lie in the space beside her.  
"So what's up?" Kate inquired again as she looked up at the vexed expression on Caroline's face.  
"It's nothing….I shouldn't be worrying about it."  
Kate shot her a warning glare.  
"It's this house," Caroline finally conceded, "I know I shouldn't be so attached to it but I am….I've put so much time, effort and money into it…I don't want to sell it...but I can't afford to keep it."  
"I know exactly what you mean, Caroline…. Richard and I had a beautiful house but neither of us could afford to buy the other one out so we had to sell it…split everything right down the middle…it was heart-breaking but you find a way forward…I know it doesn't seem like it now but you will move on from it…you will find a way."  
Caroline looked at her doubtfully.  
"…and I may have a solution," Kate added, "but I need to think about it before I put forward any ideas."  
Grateful for the empathy and encouragement, Caroline leaned forward to give Kate what was intended to be a quick 'thank you' kiss but as she went to pull away Kate caught her bottom lip gently with her teeth and drew Caroline's mouth back to her. All thoughts of the house rapidly expired as the touch of the hot tip of Kate's tongue entering her mouth re-ignited the unsated desires of the morning.  
Eventually Caroline did pull away and, without taking her focus from Kate's face, she stood up just long enough to remove her jeans, leaving them in a crumpled, careless heap on the floor. Kate noted, as an aside, Caroline's obvious penchant for lace lingerie; she made a mental note of it as it would, no doubt, come in useful for birthdays and other special, gift-giving occasions.  
Caroline then returned to the bed and sat astride Kate's hips, Kate's face still captured in her lustful gaze. With slow, measured movements, Caroline then began to undo the buttons on her pink, linen shirt. Kate's eyes were keenly attentive as, with each button, a little more of Caroline was on display. When all the buttons were free, Caroline deliberately opened it to expose her glorious breasts clad in a matching lace bra. Kate could feel her heart thudding in her chest. The beautiful blond smiled to herself as she spied Kate lick her lips with the wet tip of her tongue. Encouraged by the gesture, Caroline removed the shirt completely and tossed it to the floor as she leaned forward and drowned her lover in a desire-drenched kiss. Somewhere, somehow in the fervour of that kiss Kate managed to reach around and undo the clasp on Caroline's bra and slide the straps from her shoulders until it too lay on the floor. She then took Caroline's breasts in her hands and caressed them, their fulsomeness and the pursed nipples causing a flash-flood between Kate's legs.  
As their mouths finally drew apart, Caroline sat back a little allowing Kate to reach forward slightly and take first one firm nipple and then the other in her hot mouth, moaning softly as she felt the whirl of Kate's tongue against them.  
Sensing Caroline's heightening arousal, Kate slipped a hand between her lover's thighs, the dampness there adding to her own increasing excitement. She thumbed aside the flimsy underwear and slid her fingers delicately into Caroline's slickness. For a moment she held them still, pressed firmly against the heat, until she felt Caroline start to stir against them, working herself against their touch. In response, Kate's fingers moved to match the rhythm. As she did, she looked up to see Caroline's head tossed back, her eyes closed tightly in concentration and her fabulous mouth slightly agape showing just the white edges of her teeth. Kate watched as her short, sharp breaths quickened with the pace of Kate's touch until, having reached her peak, she gave one final, exhilarated cry. Reluctantly Kate removed her hand. She wrapped her arms around a still tremulous Caroline as she drew her down into a less fervent, generous kiss.  
Caroline's shudders had barely subsided when Kate felt the woman's fingers tug on the drawstring of her loose-fitting trousers and as it gave way she removed them completely. Her mouth, eager to bring Kate pleasure, then left a path of languid kisses across the taut, dark-skinned stomach, being particularly gentle around the bruises that Kate had sustained during her rescue venture. Compliantly, Kate parted her legs allowing Caroline's mouth to trail more kisses along her silken inner thigh, each kiss more delicate, more electrifying than the last until she reached the warm, soft flesh at the top of Kate's legs.  
Heady, almost drunk, on the delights of this beautiful body, Caroline's mouth entered its wetness, searching and finding its pearl which her tongue stroked and swirled, feeling it swell and pulsate as she did.  
At the touch of Caroline's warm and mobile mouth between her legs, Kate started to stir, pressing, nudging, straining in ever quickening motion until it became a fusion of lips, tongue, pressure and movement and, with Kate clutching Caroline's hair in her fists, finally release.  
Sated and exhilarated, the two women rested silently, tangled in each other's arms as they waited for their racing hearts and rapid breathing to steady.  
It was as they lay there recovering that they heard the all-too-familiar sound of a car pulling into Caroline's drive.  
"What fresh hell is this?" Caroline asked of nobody in particular as she marched to the window to see who else had managed to interrupt her day.  
As Caroline looked out and recognised the red Lexus her face dropped.  
"Who is it?" Kate asked, wondering who could make Caroline so suddenly ill at ease.  
"It's my mother," Caroline replied damply, "with Alan…they've brought Lawrence back…I suppose I should tell her about you…us…get it over and done with."  
"Do you want me to come with you?"  
"No…not yet…let me talk to her first."  
Unsure of what to expect, Caroline made for the bedroom door.  
"Um…Caroline," Kate called, barely able to contain her laughter.  
Caroline turned to look at her with a puzzled face.  
"What?"  
"You might want to consider wearing a bit more than just your lace knickers if you're going down to talk to your mum….unless, of course, your family is used to seeing you in all your post-coital glory."


	11. Chapter 11

With a flush of embarrassment, Caroline hastily grabbed from the floor beside the bed her jeans, shirt and bra that she had not so long ago discarded and hurriedly struggled back into them. Once she was fully-clothed she leant over to give Kate a quick kiss but the tender touch of those lips seduced her into lingering that bit longer until Kate eventually had to draw away and remind her.  
"Caroline….your mother."  
"Oh…right…yes."  
Caroline reluctantly relinquished the kiss and was soon out the bedroom door. She headed downstairs with a degree of foreboding about the reception her news would receive. Although she knew her mother loved her and had shown herself to be kind and supportive over the years, there were some things that Celia had steadfastly retained a narrow-minded, unenlightened attitude towards.  
Back when Caroline had begun her course at Oxford University and had first broached the subject of being gay with her mother, Celia's reaction had been less than encouraging. She was desperately hoping that in the intervening decades her mother had moved forward with the rest of the country but she had an ominous sense that this was not going to be the case. Maybe she was being too pessimistic.  
As Caroline dashed down the stairs she all but crashed into her son, Lawrence, who was moving at speed up the stairs towards his bedroom.  
Once they had both recovered their balance and composure from the sudden collision, Caroline asked, "Where's your gran?"  
"Kitchen," he replied as he stepped around her and continued on his way still very much in a hurry.  
Caroline found her mother and Alan in the kitchen as Lawrence had said. The couple were seated on the stools talking in rather secretive whispers and both looked a little agitated but they soon smoothed their expressions as they saw Caroline approaching.  
Despite the fact that it had been only a short time ago that she had been in her bedroom, almost naked, and had her mouth lovingly ensconced between Kate's thighs bringing her partner to a euphoric climax, Caroline entered the kitchen a picture of poise.  
"Hi Mum…Alan. How are you? Would you like some tea? I'll put the kettle on."  
"Thanks, love," Alan replied followed by Celia who asked, "How did you get on with your emergency?"  
"Fine….fine…it's all good but I need to talk to you…." Caroline beIgan, trying to keep her tone light.  
She paused to fill the kettle with water and to consider her words but before she was able to continue with the conversation they were interrupted by a ravenous Lawrence who burst into the kitchen and towards the fridge in search of food.  
While her grandson stood in front of the open refrigerator inspecting its contents, Celia nodded towards him and spoke in a hushed voice, "He said something droll the other evening did Lawrence."  
"Did he?" Caroline replied, suspecting she knew already what was to come and bracing herself for it.  
"He said you'd gone to London to bring someone home…a Kate…and that you and her are 'seeing' each other….that she is your 'partner', " Celia divulged, still with a tone of disbelief like it could only be foolish nonsense.  
Caroline could feel the redness creeping up her neck.  
"That would be true," Caroline bravely put forward, "we are seeing each other, Kate and I….and she is my partner."  
Celia's expression was as though her face had been slapped and slapped firmly with a wet fish.  
From his stool Alan looked on, fearful of an impending confrontation and a little aghast at his wife's reaction to the confirmation.  
Lawrence, who was standing opposite Caroline at the kitchen island concentrating on putting together a heavily-laden sandwich and only half listening, suddenly caught on to what was being discussed and realised that he had inadvertently spoken out of turn and dumped his mother in it.  
Catching her eye momentarily, he mouthed a 'sorry' to which she silently replied, "It's fine."  
His sandwich made, Lawrence guiltily slunk out of the room leaving the adults to their conversation.  
With Lawrence out of earshot, Celia continued.  
"You mean….you and her…you know…?"  
Celia was having difficulty finding words she was comfortable with.  
"Yes, mum…..she's the person I sleep with….the woman I have sex with," Caroline spelled out for her.  
"But why all of a sudden…?" Celia spluttered, unable to comprehend her daughter's change of heart.  
"It's not all of a sudden," Caroline answered, frustration tainting her voice, "I talked to you about it when I was 19…my first year at Oxford…you probably don't remember…I'm gay, Mum, and I think I always have been and there's no point denying it any longer."  
Alan gave Celia a knowing glance which she chose to ignore.  
"But what about John? You've been married to that nitwit for twenty years!"  
"Mum, please try and understand," Caroline implored, "I think John was my naïve and rather foolish attempt to conform to the rules of the day…I didn't know any better then but I do now…anyway, it doesn't matter….this is what I want….I love Kate and she makes me happy, happier than I've been in years so I'm not about to change….I'm sorry if you don't approve…."  
"What about the boys?" Celia tossed at her daughter accusingly as if it were all some form of abuse.  
"They'll be fine…I've already explained to Lawrence and he loves the idea….well, he loves the idea that Kate's a private investigator and it doesn't seem to matter to him that my partner is a woman and that his mother is…gay."  
"A private investigator?" Celia queried.  
"Mmmm…I met her when I suspected John was having an affair…I hired her to investigate and well, one thing led to another….Her name is Kate, Kate McKenzie…"  
"Is she Scottish?" Celia interrupted.  
"No she's Nigerian."  
Celia gave Caroline a questioning look.  
"Her mother is Nigerian and her father is English," Caroline explained although she was unsure why she needed to do so. "She's kind…she's clever…she's interesting…and she loves me. When she is feeling better I'd like you to meet her."  
Despite Alan's smile and nod of encouragement Celia's mind was already made up in the negative.  
"No…I don't think we do…want to meet her... Come on, Alan, I think we'll be off."  
Without another word, Celia tossed her handbag onto her forearm and marched out of the kitchen towards the front door stopping only long enough to retrieve her coat from the stand in the hallway before making her way to the car.  
Before Alan followed, he approached Caroline and gently took her hand in his.  
"I'm sorry, love," he apologized kindly, embarrassed by Celia's unyielding stance on the matter. "I'll talk to her and see what I can do."  
"It's alright….really...it'll be….."  
Caroline's voice trailed off. She wasn't at all sure how it would be.  
"Right…Bye."  
Alan gave her a final weak smile before turning to catch up with his wife.  
"Bye-bye."  
Caroline saw him to the door where she spied her mother waiting in the driver's seat of the Lexus. With a final word of farewell to Alan she watched them depart then returned to the kitchen where, as she stood at the corner of the bench, rivalling feelings of anger, frustration and bitter disappointment overwhelmed her. She wasn't sure why it mattered what her mother thought, all she knew was that it did. She wanted Celia to be happy for her rather than ashamed of her and what she was. She never enjoyed feelings of acrimony with her mother as they usually stood together and supported each other in times of trouble. However, Caroline thought to herself, this time round, Celia could play hardball as much as she liked but she was no longer going to deny who she was….never again.  
While Caroline had been dealing with her mother, Kate had showered and dressed and, on hearing the car depart, she had ventured downstairs to see how Caroline had faired. Her hopes fell as she peered into the kitchen and saw Caroline's rather forlorn figure standing by the bench with her head hanging pensively as she waited for the kettle to re-boil.  
Kate sidled up quietly beside her and ran a comforting hand across the woman's back and shoulders and placed a gentle kiss on her temple.  
"It didn't go well?" Kate asked.  
"No worse than I expected but I had dared to hope that perhaps she'd changed her views over time which it seems she hasn't," Caroline finally replied, sadness obviously weighing her down.  
Steam began to rise up from the kettle as it switched itself off. Caroline automatically poured the boiling water into the awaiting teapot as Kate lifted down two mugs from an overhead cupboard.  
As they waited for the tea to steep, Kate asked, "Are you alright?'  
Caroline nodded and gave her an unconvincing smile.  
Wanting to lift the woman's spirits, Kate replied, "She'll come around…she just needs some time to get used to the idea, that's all….you'll see."  
"It's very obvious that you don't know my mother," Caroline warned with a cynical smile, "she can be stubborn, opinionated….and is very fond of calling a spade a shovel on occasion….she can be very hard core when she wants to be."  
The rather dubious picture that Caroline painted of Celia had Kate wondering what she'd let herself in for.  
"But it doesn't matter," Caroline continued more cheerfully and with a dash of her own stubbornness, "she's going to have to accept who I am just as I have because I'm not going to hide it anymore…I'm too old to pretend and if she doesn't like it…well, that's too bad….she can ….fuck off."  
The vehemence of Caroline's last words startled both women but then, as they looked at each other in their surprise, they both began laughing at the absurdity of the situation. Caroline wasn't a teenager, she was old enough to do as she pleased. She no longer needed her mother's permission or approval.  
"What's so funny?" a voice asked from the entranceway.  
Both women turned at the sound to see Lawrence returning his plate, empty bar a few crumbs, to the kitchen.  
"Nothing," Caroline replied and then added as her son headed in the direction of the fridge once again, "and no more food…you'll spoil your dinner."  
Lawrence rolled his eyes at her nagging and then smiled broadly at the woman standing beside his mother who he had just figured out was probably Kate.  
Noting his focus, Caroline introduced them.  
"Lawrence, I'd like you to meet Kate."  
Lawrence continued to beam his 100 watt smile, excited to be actually meeting a real live private investigator although he had to admit that she wasn't quite what he had been expecting.  
"Kate, this is my younger son, Lawrence."  
"Hello, Lawrence," Kate responded warmly as she reached out to shake his hand.  
"Are you really a private investigator?" he asked immediately, unable to restrain his curiosity.  
"Yes, I am."  
"Cool…Do you carry a gun?"  
"I haven't got one on me at the moment," Kate replied, just managing to keep the urge to laugh under control, "but I keep an Uzi under the front seat of my car for emergencies."  
Both Lawrence's and Caroline's eyebrows shot up dramatically at this news….Lawrence's because he was super impressed and Caroline's because of what she knew to be Kate's blatant lie. She flashed her partner a look of surprise which Kate answered with a quick wink.  
"And is that what happened on your last case….the missing girl?" Lawrence queried touching his own head to indicate the wound he could see on Kate's head.  
"This?" Kate said gingerly fingering the still painful lump, "No, this I got at a croquet match….those old ladies with their mallets get mean when they lose."  
The look of doubt on Lawrence's face told them that he was unsure if he believed her or not.  
"Stop teasing the boy," Caroline demanded but with a laugh to her voice before becoming more serious as she explained to him that yes, Kate did receive the wound during her investigation and no, it wasn't cool (as she read his mind).  
"It nearly killed her so we're not going to discuss it any further," she insisted.  
With his questions cut short, Lawrence turned to look a little sheepishly at his mother.  
"I'm sorry for getting you in trouble with gran."  
"I'm not in trouble…," Caroline began to say but then realised that her son was old enough to know the truth. "It will be fine. Your gran just needs some time to get used to the idea….that's all."  
Caroline stepped around the island and drew her son in close to her for a brief hug before releasing him with a scruff of his thick, auburn hair and a kiss to his forehead.  
"Are you sure?" he asked.  
"No," she replied honestly, "but, Lawrence, none of this is your fault. If your granny wants to be small-minded and bigoted then that's her problem not yours."  
oooOooo  
The initial half hour of their drive back to Ripponden Banks along the A1 was done in a discordant silence with both Alan and Celia caught up in their own thoughts which neither was willing to divulge until Alan finally said, "I have to say, Celia, I was very disappointed with your attitude to Caroline's news. I found it very…unkind…and distasteful."  
"Distasteful?"  
"Yes….I wouldn't have believed you could be so old-fashioned and small-minded, especially towards your own daughter."  
"I'm not small-minded…and I'm certainly not old-fashioned!"  
"Right….What would you call it then?'  
Still feeling the sting of Alan's criticism, Celia replied, "I don't suppose you'll understand but I do love her…it's just…"  
"What?"  
"What will folks think…say…with her gallivanting around the place with another woman by her side?….and what about her job?...They're very…particular….you know. Do you think they'll keep somebody like that on as their Head Teacher? I'm just worried for her."  
With a slight scoff, Alan answered, "I think you should accept the fact that Caroline is old enough and wise enough to know what she wants and how best to deal with it. Right now….and I'd only be guessing….but I think she could use your support rather than your criticisms and judgements. Can't you see how destructive this all is?'  
Celia met his pleading eyes with a quick side-long glance.  
"If she loves this Kate and it sounds very much like she does, then the least we can do is meet her," he argued.  
"But I don't want to meet her," Celia protested, "I don't know what to say…how to act….around those kind of people."  
Not quite believing what he was hearing, Alan asked, "What do you mean by 'those kind of people'?"  
"You know….gays….lesbians…"  
Alan stifled a derisory laugh. He could see he was going to have to educate Celia a bit more about the world around her.  
"You treat them like any other person," Alan explained patiently, "and, anyway, you wouldn't be doing it for you, you would be doing it for Caroline."  
Finding herself verbally cornered and without an argument in her defence, Celia decided it was best to cut her losses and draw the conversation to a halt there as she concentrated on merging into a lane for the M62.  
Alan, too, decided to leave the matter there. Having made his point, he didn't want to push things too far and have Celia totally off-side. He'd let sleeping dogs lie for the moment.  
oooOooo  
Sunday morning began slowly as Caroline and Kate chose to luxuriate in bed considerably longer than they usually would if they were on their own. Free of any interruptions for the time being, they made the most of the opportunity to chat and laugh, to kiss and fondle but all too soon their peace and quiet came to an end with a tentative tapping at the door.  
Thinking it was probably her errant husband again, Caroline muttered, "At least he knocked this time," before calling out quite brusquely, "Come in if you must."  
To their astonishment a blushing Lawrence pushed the door open with his foot and entered. In his hands he carried a rather large tray which was laden with a breakfast for two….a teapot and two mugs, some slices of toast and two boiled eggs.  
"I thought you might be hungry," he announced through an embarrassed smile.  
"Thank you, Lawrence. It looks fabulous," his mother replied pleasantly surprised if not a little perplexed by her son's unexpected show of affection which she decided to take as a sign of approval from him for her relationship with Kate.  
"I'm sorry about the gruffness…I thought it was your father," she apologised.  
"Thank you, Lawrence," Kate added.  
"It's okay," he replied a little shyly, still quite in awe of the private investigator. Then he turned to leave but remembered at the last minute to ask, "Mum, are you still okay to take me to my rugby match this afternoon or should I ask Angus' dad to…"  
"No, no…it's fine," Caroline replied.  
With the arrangements settled, Lawrence left them to enjoy their breakfast. He headed back to the kitchen supposing that he should attempt to clean up some of his mess knowing how pedantic his mother was about tidiness, particularly in her kitchen.  
"Who'd have thought making eggs and toast could be such messy work?" he pondered to himself.  
However, the sound of a football match in progress on the television in the lounge room seduced him and his good intentions were immediately lost.  
Back in the bedroom, Caroline carefully handed Kate a mug of tea, laughing to herself as she did so.  
"What?" asked a bemused Kate.  
"I think my Lawrence is quite besotted with you," she explained with an amused expression.  
"Besotted? Really?... Why do you say that? …. Just because he makes us breakfast?"  
"I can't remember Lawrence ever making breakfast for John and me….He's barely able to make it for himself…. I'm not complaining….it's wonderful…a relief really…he's been through so much lately with all of his father's nonsense so I'm very grateful."  
Caroline leaned over slightly and placed a soft, appreciative kiss on Kate's mouth. Not to be distracted, Kate reached for a slice of toast and cracked the top off a boiled egg. Lawrence was right, she was hungry.  
When they were done, Caroline placed the mugs and plates back on the tray which she balanced a little precariously on the bedside table.  
"Kate, will you be alright here alone while I take Lawrence to rugby or do you want to come with me? I won't be gone much more than an hour," Caroline asked as she rolled towards Kate only to see a hungry look in her partner's eyes but it wasn't food she was craving.  
Kate too, had rolled over towards Caroline. It was then that Caroline felt her partner's rich, exotic eyes touch her face, her pale neck and come to rest on the lightly-freckled skin of her chest sending a spontaneous shiver of excitement through her entire body. From there, Kate re-traced the path her eyes had set with light, wet touches of her tongue until their mouths met in a deep, consuming kiss.  
As their lips and tongues caressed Kate ran her fingers over Caroline's hot, smooth flesh feeling the woman's breasts push into her hand and the pursed nipples press against her palm. Both women sensed a wet, slippery commotion rapidly forming between their thighs. Caroline reached over and pulled Kate's naked hips in closer to her as Kate ran her hand slowly over the silky skin of Caroline's stomach and into the crisp curls between her thighs. Willingly Caroline parted her legs and opened herself up to the delicate touch of her lover's fingers and almost at once her hips began to move to match their rhythm. As though she was water steadily turning to steam, Caroline could feel the heat, the pressure building within her.  
Then, to her surprise, Kate pulled away from the kiss and removed her fingers. Disappointment began to wash over her but was held at bay as she looked up and saw Kate's smouldering expression and felt her snake their bodies together, their legs scissored around each other, dark against light, one over, one under, their wetness open and joined. At the slick, sensual touch, each woman began to writhe wildly under the heightening intensity until the same euphoric wave crashed over them and washed them up, sated and spent, into each other's arms, their hearts still pounding and their pulses racing.  
Several minutes passed before any words were spoken and it was Caroline who spoke first, simply expressing the feeling that was utmost in her mind.  
"I love you, Kate," she whispered quietly, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."  
Before Kate could respond there was a loud knock and then Lawrence, who thought it wise not to open the door, called out, "Mum, Angus wants to know if we can give him a lift to rugby….his dad's car is broken down."  
"Sure," Caroline replied trying not to be too upset that it seemed that their morning lie-in was over. "Tell him we'll pick him up…."  
Caroline paused to look at her watch and was shocked to see the lateness of the hour.  
"…in 45 minutes," she finished.  
Also aware that it was probably time to rise and shine, Kate left the bed and collected her clothes ready to shower.  
As she stood in the doorway to the bathroom, her long, luscious body naked and on show, she turned to her partner and asked, "Would you mind dropping me at mine first before you take the boys to rugby?"  
"What….?" Caroline asked, her mind distracted by the sight before her, "ah...yes I can do that but are you alright to stay on your own?"  
"I'm good to go….I feel fine," Kate answered.  
"I don't want you to go," Caroline protested quietly, embarrassed at feeling a little like a spoilt child not wanting to give up its favourite toy.  
Kate gave her a tender smile.  
"I don't want to go either," she replied honestly, "but tomorrow is Monday ….you need to go to work …you have the auditors coming in and I have a business to run and my report to write up."  
Reluctantly Caroline conceded that Kate was probably right. The week ahead did promise to be a busy one for both of them.  
oooOooo  
It took Kate almost two days, working at a steady pace so as not to over-exert herself as per the instructions of her doctors at the hospital and Caroline, to finish the detailed report on her 'Angela' case as well as complete costings and calculations of fees owing which she would send to her clients so it wasn't until Wednesday that she could give her full attention to an idea that had been forming in the back of her mind since Caroline had expressed her desire that they spend the rest of their lives together. It was a desire that Kate shared and she thought that if she could possibly help Caroline with buying out John's share of the house it might bring that desire a step closer to fruition.  
For although Kate lived a comparatively frugal lifestyle, she had actually come into rather a lot of money several years previous but, at the time, the thought of such a large amount and of possibly wasting it had frightened her so she had wisely tucked it away and let it earn its keep. It was only when yearly statements came in or a large, unexpected expense arose that she thought about it or touched it.  
Not long after Kate had first opened her business she had worked on a case for an eccentric old gentleman whose much-loved three year old pedigree Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Bella, had gone missing. He was convinced she had been stolen but when he went to the police about the matter they had callously dismissed his problem and were unwilling to help other than to suggest that he put up some "Missing Dog" posters or advertise in the 'Lost and Found' section of the Harrogate Advertiser insinuating that her was wasting their time.  
Distraught at the loss of his faithful companion and at the fate she may have met, the elderly gentleman turned up at the office of 'McKenzie Investigations' where Kate listened attentively to his problem and, while she couldn't guarantee the return of his pet, she reassured him that she would certainly do everything possible to track her down.  
Grateful for a sympathetic ear and for being taken seriously, he formally hired Kate to investigate and hopefully find his beautiful Bella, making it amply clear that money was no object although, judging by appearances, Kate wasn't so sure. However, she was under his instructions to do whatever it took to get her back.  
After several fruitless weeks of hanging out in popular dog-walking areas, visiting and asking questions of local breeders and vets, even attending a dog show, Kate had come no closer to solving the riddle and was reluctantly resigned to giving up the search and informing her client that it probably wasn't worth spending any more money on the investigation. It was then that she finally received her first promising clue from a vet whom she had spoken to and shown a photo of Bella. On following up the information Kate not only located her client's beloved Bella but several other stolen dogs, all caged in miserable conditions in a tiny, residential backyard and many of them with puppies. Once reported, the puppy farm was immediately closed down, the dogs returned to their relieved owners where possible and heavy penalties issued.  
With the case solved and the bill paid (plus a hefty bonus) by her ever-grateful client, a self-satisfied Kate happily filed the information away and moved on to her next challenge.  
Almost five years on Kate had cause to revisit the case when lawyers for the gentleman had contacted her and informed her that he had passed away and that she was one of a number of beneficiaries of his will, to the tune of £300K as it turned out. Although her client had not lived a lavish lifestyle, he was from a very wealthy background and had invested his money astutely rather than spend it and he had left a small portion of it to Kate in appreciation of the kindness she had been willing to show him and for recovering his Bella.  
Once over the initial shock of receiving such a large amount of money, Kate decided it was best to put it away as a security for the future. On advice, she'd invested a part of it and watched it grow and all but a small part of the remainder she had secured away elsewhere. With the small amount she'd retained she had purchased her car and gifts for her parents.  
Now she was seriously considering using it to help Caroline buy out the house from John so she wouldn't have to sell. Part of her was wary and unsure about such a move and realised that there was a chance that she could lose the lot if it didn't work out with Caroline but in her heart of hearts she knew that she wanted to share the rest of her life with this woman so she would make her the offer and get the ball rolling to make the money available.  
oooOooo  
It had been a nerve-wracking week for Caroline with the auditors, like ants at a picnic, poring over every aspect of the school's business including the curriculum being taught, programmes developed, hiring and firing of teaching staff, administration practices and every financial record and statement. They climbed into every crevice of school life looking for possible imbalances and weaknesses, matters that needed addressing.  
Caroline had been through it all before and knew how they operated and what to expect but it never became any easier. Despite her knowledge that everything had been checked and balanced she remained on tenterhooks the entire week and it didn't help that she had only managed to catch up with Kate once in that time and then only for a brief few hours.  
By the time Friday came around her nerves were completely frayed and she hoped they would be gone before she totally unravelled. The effect caught on like the common cold to the rest of the staff and even the students with everyone walking on egg shells, knowing they had done nothing wrong but looking over their collective shoulder nonetheless. However, today was their last day and everyone, but none more than Caroline, looked forward to their departure. She only had one last meeting to get through and they would be gone for another three years.  
This final meeting had been arranged for one o'clock but it was considerably earlier than that when Beverley phoned through letting Caroline know that Gavin and two of the auditors were waiting to see her. Although a little flustered by their unexpected arrival, Caroline asked her assistant to send them in.  
Caroline greeted them at the door with a perfunctory smile which they didn't bother to return. She then invited them to take a seat at the table. As she made to join them she couldn't help but note the solemn expression of each face.  
"Is there something wrong?" she asked full of trepidation.  
Each of the three men looked at the other to start the conversation.  
Choosing the more familiar face, Caroline said, "Gavin?"  
"Ah…yes…Mr Wakely and Mr Brown have been re-checking some of the financial statements and ….um…."  
"We found a rather significant anomaly in one of the accounts," interrupted Mr Wakely. "A rather large sum of money … £100K to be precise…has been withdrawn from a school account and as far as we can track it it seems to have gone into your personal savings account, Dr Elliot. Are you able to explain this to us?"  
For a moment Caroline sat dumbstruck. Were they really insinuating that she had stolen £100K from the school?  
"Me? You think I took money from the school account?" Caroline asked completely outraged by the accusation, "This has to be a mistake."  
"You had better hope so, Dr Elliot, because unless you have an explanation and can locate the money immediately we're going to have to inform the police and they'll probably call in the forensic accountants to track down what happened to it."  
Her mind racing, Caroline rushed to the computer on her desk and went into her online banking facility. She tapped her fingers anxiously on the mouse as she waited for her password to be checked and her accounts to come up. To her bewilderment and shock, there it was, an extra £100K sitting in her personal savings account.  
"I have no idea how that money got there but I didn't steal it or whatever you think I did with it," Caroline asserted firmly, deciding that attack was the best form of defence, "so I'm happy for your forensic people to do what it is you do to find out who did put it there."  
Both auditors glared at Gavin indicating that there was more bad news to come.  
"They will, Caroline," Gavin tried to assure her, "and believe me when I say that I, for one, know that you didn't take the money but until the matter has been fully investigated and cleared up I'm afraid we will have to …um…"  
"Suspend you from your duties," the officious Mr Wakely finished. "In the meantime I'm sure one of your deputies is more than capable of taking over from you."  
"Suspended?...Why? But I haven't done….."  
Caroline's voice petered off as she could tell looking into the cold, bureaucratic faces that she would find no lenience. Instead, she wordlessly collected her coat and bag and, with head held high and back straight, she marched out of the office and made a bee-line for her car.  
oooOooo  
Kate was sitting at the desk in her office speaking on the phone to a prospective client when, to her surprise and pleasure, Caroline walked through the door, however, her immediate cheery reaction dimmed when she noticed the solemn expression on Caroline's face.  
While she waited for Kate to finish her business, Caroline flopped into the seat opposite her, placing her elbows on the desk and resting her confused head in her hands. As she waited, her anger and affront gave way to uncertainty and fear. It was obvious to Caroline that she had been set up but who was vindictive enough to have her sacked and possible imprisoned?  
Without seeming rude, Kate ended the phone conversation as quickly as possible and then, as she disconnected she went round to the other side of the desk, cupped Caroline's distraught face in her hands and asked, "What's wrong."  
As succinctly as she could, Caroline explained the situation to Kate who listened attentively and then was inclined to agree with Caroline's conclusion that someone was attempting to set her up.  
"Who would do such a thing?" Kate wondered aloud.  
"I don't know….sure I've had run ins with people at work but that happens when you're a Head Teacher ….but nothing serious enough to warrant this sort of payback," a totally befuddled Caroline explained. "I could go to gaol if they don't find who actually did this….who would hate me enough to have me sent to gaol?"  
The enormity and seriousness of the situation started to hit home and large, wet tears began to well in Caroline's eyes.  
"Can I hire you to investigate?" Caroline asked in a voice that tore at Kate heart strings.  
Kate thought for a moment, unsure that she would be able to find out any more than the police but then, as those dramatic, blue eyes caught her up in their sad stare, she found herself replying, "Sure….we'll get to the bottom of this."  
oooOooo


	12. Chapter 12

Returning to the business side of her desk, Kate pulled out a fresh note pad from her top drawer and, after some trial and error, found a pen that worked. She placed them in front of her ready for use.  
"Do you mind, Caroline, if we go through it all in some more detail and I ask some questions?" Kate requested gently but her manner taking on a more professional tone.  
Caroline shook her head, dropping her eyes towards her lap where her hands fidgeted anxiously with a tissue. Skeins of blonde hair fell forward covering her face from Kate's view.  
"Are you sure?...We can do it tomorrow if you'd prefer."  
"No...do it now…it won't get any easier….I'll be fine," Caroline insisted as she lifted her head, straightened herself up and attempted to regain some semblance of her usual stoic composure. "I'll feel better knowing I'm doing something about the situation rather than sitting idly by."  
"Right…okay," Kate reluctantly agreed, considerably less certain of her partner's emotional state. "Caroline, who else knows your account details?….number?...passwords?"  
Caroline was able to answer instantly and adamantly.  
"No one."  
"John?"  
"Especially not John. We'd be bankrupt if he had access to my personal account….Besides, John may be self-centred and a jerk but I don't think he hates me…For all his faults, I don't think he has it in him to be this vindictive."  
"What about your mother? …. or your sons?...Do they have access to your password?"  
"My mother? William and Lawrence? No….But even if they did, how would they access school accounts?…Why would they….?"  
"I'm not suggesting that they had anything to do with the actual theft," Kate explained, "but they may have inadvertently let on to someone else with less innocent intentions."  
"Oh...of course…I see," Caroline apologised, "but, no, I haven't shared it with anyone."  
"Do you have the details written down anywhere?" Kate persisted.  
Caroline thought for a moment and then shook her head again.  
"So we're probably looking for someone who has advanced technology skills, is able to hack into bank accounts and has access to school accounts as well," Kate deduced, "Do you know anyone who might meet those criteria?"  
"Not that I'm aware of….Maybe one or two of our technicians …. and some of our students are extremely au fait with computers," Caroline replied as she considered the wide variety of people that worked at Sulgrave Heath, "but, again, why would they do it? It would be different if they were taking the money for themselves but why do they want to point the finger at me?"  
"I think if we find the answer to that, Caroline, we may solve the puzzle….Are you sure you haven't had a serious disagreement with anyone….a staff member, a parent or even a student…that might warrant this kind of retribution….in their mind, at least?….It doesn't even have to be recent…They may have been sitting back waiting for the right time to strike….such as this auditors' visit. I can't believe that it's simply a coincidence that the money just happened to be moved when the auditors were here."  
Try as she might, Caroline could think of nobody that she had upset to such a degree. Certainly she did, on occasion, have to have a stern word with staff and students over various matters but such was the nature of the school that for the most part things ran smoothly and few feathers were ever seriously ruffled.  
"Was the money put into your account in one lump sum or in a number of smaller deposits?" Kate continued.  
Unsure of the answer, Kate had Caroline open her bank statement and check her balances. Caroline could hardly bare to look at the incriminating money lodged in her now frozen account, mocking her, accusing her, threatening her future. With Caroline's permission, Kate scrolled through the figures and corresponding dates. She could see quite clearly that the money had been transferred in a single deposit from the school account to Caroline's personal account very early on Monday morning.  
"Whoever has done this is very clever," Kate thought aloud, "they've managed to access the school accounts as well as your account, bypassing all sorts of protection and bank securities…..These are the types of skills criminals pay big money for unless, of course, there is something else at stake."  
"Something else at stake? What do you mean?"  
"Blackmail…Repaying a debt…"  
Surprised by the unsavoury world she was being flung into, a distraught Caroline rested her face in her hands, her defiance fading and a feeling of hopelessness threatened to consume her. It saddened and shocked her that someone, possibly a staff member, would revile her so much and without her even knowing.  
Aware that Caroline was becoming increasingly distressed, Kate said gently, "I have just one more question for the time being….Assuming, for the moment, that it is somebody from Sulgrave Heath, although we will need to keep an open mind….and I haven't totally ruled John out ….who has regular access to your office and can come and go from it without arousing suspicion….as well as access to the administration side of the school computer system?"  
Again Caroline took some time to think but there was only one name she could come up with.  
"The only person who can come and go freely into my office is my administrative assistant, Beverley, but I refuse to believe that she would have anything to do with this…I'd trust Beverley with my life."  
Kate looked thoughtful as she added Beverley's name and position to her notes, notes that were sadly scant of possible clues.  
"Anyway," Caroline continued in her assistant's defence, "Beverley is off on leave."  
"Leave?"  
"Yes, she fell rather heavily down some steps near my office last Tuesday and broke her leg so we've given her six weeks paid leave to recover….but she'll be back before then…if I know Beverley, she'll hate sitting around at home twiddling her thumbs."  
"Fall? How did she fall?" Kate asked, her curiosity piqued but she wasn't sure why.  
"It was between lessons….she was caught up in the tide of students rushing between classrooms. Her report says that she felt as though she was pushed from behind but it was decided that it was probably one of the students jostling for position on the stairs…an accident."  
Caroline squeezed her eyes closed in an effort to make the image of her assistant sprawled on the hard floor at the bottom of the staircase, a shocked expression on her pallid face and her lower leg at an ungainly angle, disappear from her brain.  
"Fortunately, one of our teachers, Michael Dobson, was on the scene very quickly and an ambulance was called immediately…..but, yes, she was on leave when all of this other business has happened."  
"Mmmm….A person may not even need to be on site as long as they have a computer and the skills….although some access would make the job easier."  
"I refuse to believe that it's Beverley," Caroline reiterated vehemently.  
"Is there someone taking her place while she's on leave?" Kate queried, a hazy idea beginning to form in the back of her subconscious mind.  
"We hired a temp worker…a Margaret Atwood…it's impossible to run a school that size without an admin assistant….it was unfortunate timing though with the auditors here. Beverley knows exactly where everything is and how things are supposed to run. Ms Atwood didn't have much of a clue although she is very good with compu….."  
Caroline's voice trailed off as she realised the significance of what she was about to say. Kate's eyes lit up, suspecting that they may possibly have their first bit of the puzzle.  
Reading Kate's thoughts, a bewildered Caroline asked, "But why would Ms Atwood want to have me fired, imprisoned possibly…I hardly know her?"  
"Perhaps she's a disgruntled parent….or maybe she's working for somebody else," Kate suggested.  
"Who?"  
"I don't know…yet…but I will find out. Meanwhile, I think I'm going to need to get an inside perspective on this….go under cover…Any ideas as to how I can do that?"  
Caroline's mind had become a confused mire of possible clues and suspects as she ran through the events of the previous months, trying to form a list of people who might have an axe to grind, all the time seeing, in her mind's eye, the smug expression on the auditor's face as he informed her of their find.  
Not wanting to upset Caroline any further and also wanting some time to allow the spark of an idea in her head to ignite, Kate decided it was time for a break.  
"Why don't we finish there for a bit? We can think about it again later," Kate suggested as she rose from behind her desk and moved around to where she could put a consoling arm around her partner. "I'll close the shop and then we can go upstairs to my flat…I'll make us a cup of tea."  
"Don't you have anything stronger?" Caroline remarked only half joking but then, seeing the look of concern spread on the lovely, dark face, she added with a weak smile, "No…really….tea is fine…thank you."  
While Kate put the kettle on, Caroline kicked off her high heels, curled herself up comfortably on the plump, well-worn sofa and attempted to put the events of the day temporarily out of her thoughts but, despite her best efforts, they continued to creep back in the moment her guard was down.  
"What am I going to tell Lawrence when I don't go to work on Monday….and William if he phones?" Caroline asked with a touch of panic as Kate handed her a mug of hot, sugary tea and then also curled up on the sofa, tucking herself in close beside her partner.  
"And what about my mother?" Caroline continued, "Although I don't think we're on speaking terms at the moment which may prove convenient." It was yet another problem she had to contend with at some stage.  
"Could life get any more complicated?" she wondered to herself.  
Resting her mug on the nearby coffee table, Kate held Caroline's worried face in her hands and captured those troubled eyes with her own in a steady gaze.  
"Just tell them the truth…they'll understand," Kate assured her as she then placed a tender kiss on the woman's soft lips for which she was rewarded with only the second brief smile of the day.  
For a few moments a pensive silence hung over the couple as each sipped their tea thoughtfully hoping for an answer to their problem until, eventually, Caroline interrupted with a welcome change of subject.  
"I've missed you," she confessed quietly, "it's Friday….and we haven't had much time together this week….would you consider spending the weekend at mine…that's if you're not working?"  
Kate gave her a heart-melting smile. "I've missed you too," she replied sincerely, "just let me throw a few essentials into an overnight bag and I'm with you."  
Putting her mug back on the coffee table, Kate made to rise so she could pack a bag, however, before she could get to her feet Caroline had clasped her hands and drawn her back to her side. As she entwined their fingers, Caroline's mouth played a delicate, wet kiss on the soft skin inside each wrist, the flurry of her warm breath and the touch of her cheek sending a rush of electric shivers through Kate's entire body.  
Caroline closed her eyes firmly for a few seconds, gathering her nerve and when she opened them again she peered directly into Kate's face as she began to speak albeit a little reticently at first.  
"I've been meaning to ask you….."  
"What?" a now curious Kate asked puzzled by Caroline's sudden reservedness.  
"When John and I sell the house…if we ever get a buyer….would you consider….I'd like for you…us…to perhaps find a place…..and you're not obliged to say 'yes'…..where we could live together," Caroline asked, unsure if she was making any sense as her nervousness was tying her tongue in knots. "It won't be anywhere too fancy….by the time the bank gets its dues and I don't want a huge debt….but, to be perfectly honest, I wouldn't mind living in a tent on Brighton beach if you were with me….well, maybe not a tent but definitely a caravan."  
Caroline flashed her a timid, irresistible smile as her eyes, now bright and expectant, played on Kate's face. Kate was certain her heart skipped a beat.  
"We can certainly discuss it," Kate replied with a forced calm, "so, yes, I would consider it."  
For an instant, Kate was tempted to reveal her plan to help Caroline financially with buying out John's share of the house but decided to keep it to herself a little longer as she needed to think through the logistics of it more thoroughly and find out some exact figures.  
Disappointed by Kate's seeming lack of enthusiasm, Caroline dropped her eyes back to her lap and spoke in an abashed whisper.  
"You don't seem very keen on the idea….but, of course, you don't have to if you don't want to ….. Maybe it's too soon."  
"I am keen…very keen… but we need to….we can talk it through more thoroughly once this other mess is cleared up," Kate promised as she placed an affectionate kiss on Caroline's cheek and then stood up and headed for her bedroom to pack a few necessaries.  
oooOooo  
Outside heavy rain was falling from a steely sky; the light was weak and peevish, only managing monochromatic shades of grey and the chill air sent shivers through anything it wrapped its icy fingers around.  
In contrast, the atmosphere inside Caroline's house was snug and inviting with the heating turned on for warmth and a subtle glow from the several, strategically-placed lamps softly illuminating each room.  
Despite the troubles that loomed over her, being able to spend some time in the company of the woman she loved cheered Caroline up considerably, to the point where she was able to put her not-insignificant problems completely out of her mind for the time being as they chatted and laughed and loved their way through an otherwise rainy, miserable weekend.  
It was as they lay stretched out together lazily on the sofa on the Sunday afternoon with only the constant sound of the persistent rain for distraction that the topic of Caroline's dilemma reared its baffling head again as they knew it must at some stage if they were to form any sort of plan to deal with it.  
Kate lay behind Caroline, propped up on her side by cushions and her elbow while she had slipped her free hand beneath Caroline's loose shirt and lightly, unconsciously stroked the bare flesh she found there, revelling in its soft silkiness.  
"Have you had any ideas as to how I can penetrate the inner sanctum of Sulgrave Heath?" she asked.  
Caroline lay supine beside Kate lulled into a comfortable quiet by the gentle strokes of her partner's hand.  
"I have actually," Caroline eventually replied.  
In her surprise Kate stopped her ministrations for the moment much to Caroline's disappointment.  
"How?"  
Caroline propped herself up a little further on the arm of the sofa so she could explain. "There's a contract available as an assistant for one of the Deputies while his permanent assistant is on maternity leave. I'm sure I could…just this once….use my considerable influence to make sure you got that job. The contract doesn't start until next week but we could bring you in under the pretence of 'showing you the ropes'. "  
"Sounds perfect."  
"I'll make a phone call later tonight and see if I can arrange something."  
With at least a small part of a plan put in place, Caroline decided to focus on more immediate matters as she reached up and drew Kate's enticing mouth towards her, capturing it in a wonderfully languid kiss where tongue played against tongue and lips played against lips.  
It was just as Caroline had been about to suggest that they move to more private quarters that the mood was abruptly interrupted by the unwanted sound of Caroline's phone. At first Caroline was determined to ignore it but its persistence won out as she finally broke the kiss and reached over to check the screen.  
"I might have guessed," Caroline snapped with a roll of her eyes, "it's my mother."  
"Hi Mum," Caroline answered tentatively, unsure as to exactly where they stood with each other at the moment.  
"Hello, love," Celia began. Caroline thought she sounded unusually subdued.  
As the two women made their initial greetings, Kate took advantage of Caroline's distraction to allow her lithe fingers to find their way inside Caroline's bra, stroking and plucking at her rapidly firming nipples, rolling each one gently between her fingertips until Caroline, unable to concentrate on what her mother was saying, slapped her hand away and gave her a stern stare.  
"I've spoken to Alan and perhaps I did over-react to the news of you and her….and I was thinking that in all fairness maybe we should meet this Kate," Celia explained to a wary Caroline.  
"Right."  
"I think I may have been in shock and…" Celia's words petered out as she ran out of explanation.  
Coming to her mother's rescue, Caroline said, "I can cook dinner on Wednesday evening, assuming Kate's not busy…..and wants to meet you. How would that fit in with you and Alan?"  
Celia took a quick glance over at Alan who sat at the kitchen table nearby listening in to the conversation he had convinced Celia to have with her daughter.  
"Wednesday evening dinner," Celia mouthed to Alan who gave her a 'thumbs up'. "Wednesday will be fine, love," she then confirmed with Caroline.  
"Okay…we'll see you Wednesday night then…Tata."  
With a final good-bye, Celia hung up and turned to Alan. "Are you happy now?"  
"Very," he replied with a self-satisfied smile on his face. Much to Celia's annoyance, he had gotten his own way.  
"But you do know that if I don't like her I shan't pretend," Celia warned him, "you do know that."  
He did indeed know that.  
"That was my mother. She's decided she wants to meet you after all so I've invited her for dinner on Wednesday evening. Is that alright?" Caroline explained having to concentrate hard on her words as Kate's teeth nipped teasingly on her ear lobe.  
"Mmmm…." was Kate's ambiguous reply which Caroline decided to interpret as a 'yes'.  
Caroline could feel the warm touch of her partner's mobile hand begin to sear a path down towards the apex of her thighs and stifled a moan. With nothing more demanding on their time for now other than their need to be in each other's company she suggested they take themselves upstairs to the privacy of the bedroom for the remainder of the afternoon.  
Sensing the rain suddenly getting heavier, Caroline, amidst her sleep, rolled over to draw herself closer to Kate for heat and comfort but then remembered, as her hand searched the empty sheets, that she was no longer there. Caroline had driven her home earlier in the evening after she had made the call to her Deputy, Edward Pemberton, and secured the job for Kate as his assistant, confirming that she would come in the next day to familiarise herself with the job. A sudden yearning filled Caroline's heart.  
oooOooo


	13. Chapter 13

As Kate sheltered in the entranceway to the hallowed halls of Sulgrave Heath Independent School, shaking free the loose drops of rain from her umbrella, she peered through the grim greyness towards the buildings that fronted the school, their bricks streaked with age and their stoic walls forming a protective garrison around the lives held within, the wisdom and knowledge of the masters and the exuberance and enthusiasm of the youth, all there for the serious business of learning. Its dignity and sense of importance gave Kate a new and more profound understanding of her partner, the Head Teacher of this prestigious institution. She realised the imposing amount of power and influence that must come with such a prominent position, a position only deserved by a person held in high esteem and for whom there must be a great deal of respect but also a position where an inordinate amount of responsibility rests on that one person's shoulders. It suddenly struck Kate just how much Caroline had to lose if her name wasn't cleared and the real culprit caught and how much responsibility now rested on her own shoulders to do exactly that.  
Although she had begun to feel somewhat daunted by the magnitude of the task which was magnified by the personal stake she had in the outcome, Kate decided that there was nothing for it other than to simply get on with the job. She collapsed her umbrella down to its more convenient size, tossed it in her bag and turned to follow the signage along a short hallway and up the staircase to the administration section of the building.  
At the top of the staircase was a large reception area that was obviously dedicated to greeting the public as well as the day to day running of the school. A large, sliding glass window opened to a counter which separated those that belonged from those just visiting. Kate stood and waited there patiently, instinctively using her time to run an observant eye over all that was within. She could see three females and one lone male all of whom were busily engaged at photocopiers, answering phones or tapping away on keyboards in front of a computer screen, taking care of the more mundane side of running such a vital establishment.  
"Can I help you?" a polite female voice asked, startling Kate from her reconnaissance.  
"Ah…yes… I'm Kate McKenzie. I'm doing some temp work here for Mr Pemberton while his usual assistant is on maternity leave.  
The woman gave Kate a friendly smile.  
"Hello….Mr Pemberton did mention to expect you this morning…You're here for some training, is that right?"  
Kate gave a smile also and nodded.  
"Maree, Miss McKenzie is here to see you," the woman called to her co-worker and then turned to Kate again. "If you come around the side to the door I'll let you in and we'll introduce you to everyone."  
It was when Kate entered the door that she was able to see the distended belly of the young woman sitting at her desk, a large pair of glasses perched on her nose, busily concentrating on her computer screen until the woman at the desk had called her.  
On hearing her name, she looked up, the concentration on her face relaxed into a smile also. She rolled back her chair and with great effort heaved herself to her feet, her hands helping to support her load.  
"Twins," she said as she waddled her heavily-encumbered form the short distance to greet Kate, obviously pre-empting a much-asked question. "Hello, Miss McKenzie."  
"Kate."  
"Hello, Kate….If you like, I'll show you where you can put your things and then, while I'm on my feet, I'll take you for a bit of a guided tour to a few of the more important places, including Mr Pemberton's office."  
Maree introduced Kate to the other office staff and as she had correctly second-guessed, the forty-something woman working at the photocopier was indeed Ms Margaret Atwood, a plain, nervy woman with short, dark hair heavily streaked with grey, blue eyes but not the deep blue of Caroline's Kate noted, these were a wash of pale blue. Her every movement seemed tentative and twitchy.  
With the formalities done, Maree led Kate out of their niche and through two large sets of swinging doors towards a long, airy hallway with tall, glass windows on one side while the other side was lined with framed photographs capturing the school's various victories and the purveyors of those victories. At regular intervals there were a number of sturdy, wooden doors.  
As they approached the first door they were forced to stop as they almost collided with a woman, distinct in navy blue coveralls and wearing latex gloves. In her arms she carried a computer hard drive. When the door swung shut the sign on the front told Kate that it was Caroline's office.  
Maree gave a puzzled shrug of her shoulders.  
"I don't know what that's about."  
Kate knew. The tech guys and forensic accountants would be sifting through Caroline's hard drive with a fine tooth comb.  
The pair continued on past a second door that had the name 'Mr Harrison' on it.  
"That's Mr Harrison's office, he'll be taking Dr Elliot's place while she's taking some leave," Maree explained, clearly oblivious to the exact nature of Caroline's absence.  
A short distance further along the hallway they came to the third door which had the name "Edward Pemberton" embossed on it.  
"This is Mr Pemberton's office," Maree pointed out, "but we won't go in at the moment….he and Mr Harrison are having an urgent meeting with some other…gentlemen…I'll introduce you later. Apart from some general office work, you'll be mostly at Mr Pemberton's beck and call. He's not so bad….he takes his tea at 10am ….white and one."  
Kate managed to stop a giant eye roll just in the nick of time.  
After showing her where the nearest staff room was if she needed to find a teacher as well as locating the ladies bathroom, Kate could see that Maree was getting weary and suggested that they return to the office, a suggestion Maree gratefully accepted.  
The rest of the morning was spent being shown how specific tasks were carried out and the ins and outs of the computer system which Kate paid careful attention to. She also kept a close eye on Ms Margaret Atwood, who, for some reason, aroused Kate's suspicions. Perhaps it was the way she kept very much to herself, speaking to others only when absolutely necessary or her jumpiness whenever somebody so much as glanced at her sideways. Kate also noted the way her confidence picked up once she was at a computer, navigating competently through various screens, her fingers flitting nimbly over the keys.  
A little after twelve, Kate saw Ms Atwood close her computer screen and head towards their lunch room. Kate decided to join her although she sensed that her presence probably wouldn't be welcome or appreciated. As she rose from her desk her eye was caught by the sight of two male figures, one in a tired, crumpled, grey suit and the other much more smartly attired in a dark charcoal suit, heading down the staircase. Detectives, Kate thought, if ever she had seen one.  
As Kate walked into the lunch room she could almost feel the other woman cringe and draw into herself like a crab into its shell, pulling her lunch and mug of tea closer to her, hunching her shoulders hoping to become invisible or a the very least, unnoticeable.  
"Would this seemingly meek woman even be capable of committing a crime?" Kate wondered, "Am I totally barking up the wrong tree?"  
Blithely ignoring all the tell-tale signals of a person wanting to be left alone, Kate carried her mug of tea to the table and, wearing her friendliest smile, sat down opposite the woman who huddled up tighter in her seat.  
After fifteen excruciating minutes of trying to create small talk but with only monosyllabic answers forthcoming, Kate gave up. While she washed her mug she tried to decide whether the woman was just painfully shy or if she was actually hiding something as her behaviour suggested. Kate could come to no firm conclusion.  
As she was only 'training' and it was voluntary, Kate decided to call it a day. She would make her excuses to Maree with the promise of coming back tomorrow and then visit Caroline to see how she was coping. Unfortunately, at this stage, Kate had little information to help lift her partner's spirits.  
oooOooo  
When Kate turned up at Sulgrave Heath on Tuesday morning the tension in the air was palpable. Eyes looked straight ahead or down at the ground, faces all around were anxious and worried and greetings were subdued.  
"What's happening?" Kate asked Maree in a voice scarcely above a whisper.  
Maree signalled for Kate to join her in the lunchroom where she automatically began making two mugs of tea then, still in a hushed tone, explained what was happening.  
"There's two detectives carrying out interviews and asking questions in Dr Elliot's office. We haven't been told what it's to do with or who they're particularly wanting to speak to but we've been advised to give our full co-operation….Geoff's already been in but he's not saying anything and Margaret is in there now…has been for almost twenty minutes."  
Barely able to disguise her curiosity, Kate made herself stay and talk with Maree for a politely acceptable amount of time, gulped down the remainder of her tea, washed her mug and then, under the pretext of having to use the bathroom, dashed towards Caroline's office, unsure of exactly what it was she expected to see or find.  
As she pushed on the first of the swinging doors Kate spied Margaret Atwood. Her face was pale and she was wringing her hands in anxious agitation as she retreated from Caroline's office but instead of heading back towards reception she made a bee-line in the other direction. Initially Kate thought she may have been going to the bathroom but instead the woman turned into the staffroom. Kate made the instantaneous decision to follow her, partly out of inquisitiveness and partly out of concern as the woman looked quite wretched.  
Just as Kate was about to press open the door she halted abruptly at the sound of voices on the other side, one of them was distinctly male and was being raised in temper. Without appearing too obvious and with a quick check that there was no one else around, Kate crept closer and attempted to listen in but the solidness of the door made it difficult to decipher exactly what was being said. The only words she was able to make out for certain were "Dr Elliot" and "police". Her skin prickled. Was she onto something at last?  
Suddenly the voices stopped and the only audible sound became the distinct pattern of angry footsteps heading towards the door. Kate quickly hustled away just in time to prevent it from opening in her face. It was one of the male teachers, a young fellow in his early thirties perhaps. His handsome face was flushed an angry red and his mind was clearly pre-occupied as he hardly noticed Kate as he turned and walked purposefully down the hallway towards the classrooms. For a moment she followed his progress with her eyes taking in his fashionable suit, expensive shoes and carefully coiffed hair as well as the finicky way he adjusted his tie and his cuffs as he strode off.  
When Ms Atwood didn't appear, Kate took it upon herself to see if the woman was alright. She entered the staffroom to find it empty apart from Ms Atwood who was standing at the end of the furthest table, her face hidden in her hands, her shoulders slouched forward.  
Kate moved to stand beside her, running a comforting hand across the woman's shoulders. There was a slight flinch but she didn't move away.  
"Are you alright?" Kate asked with genuine concern, "Would you like me to get you something…a cup of tea?"  
At Kate's kind gesture, Ms Atwood slumped into a nearby chair and, still with her head in her hands, she muttered, "I've done something…"  
Just as the private investigator in Kate sensed that the scales were being tipped in her favour, Margaret Atwood dug deep and found the strength to compose herself. Lifting her head and staring at a blank space on the opposite wall rather than at Kate, she took a deep breath and said, "I'll be fine, thank you."  
"Do you mind if I ask who that man was…..the one you were arguing with?" Kate inquired hurriedly, afraid that all too soon the woman would clam up completely and leave.  
Ms Atwood's cheeks became flushed with embarrassment. She hadn't intended for anyone to overhear what had gone on.  
"We weren't arguing as such," she replied defensively, "we just had a slight disagreement…that's all it was. His name's Dobson….Michael Dobson."  
Kate remained silent in the hope that Ms Atwood would fill the void and be forthcoming with more information.  
"He's one of my son's teachers….we….."  
Kate could almost see the lines of communication being shut down like the curtain being dropped after a final encore as the woman realised that she had probably said too much. Clearly resolving not to say another word, she got to her feet and beat a not too hasty retreat for the door and back towards the safety of her work cubicle.  
For the remainder of the day Kate had Maree familiarise her with the computer systems and the filing system used while Ms Atwood steadfastly avoided any further eye contact or close proximity to Kate if at all possible.  
Late in the afternoon chance afforded Kate the opportunity to do some serious detective work and put her new-found knowledge to the test when she found herself alone in the office. Everyone else had been called away on various tasks and Kate had been left to her own devices.  
Instantly she logged onto a computer and wended her way through the commands and passwords until she had access to the personnel files. It was the one on Margaret Atwood that she was particularly interested in and then, if she had time, she wanted to check out this Michael Dobson character as well. If nothing stood out she was going to have to widen her search to other staff.  
As the page opened, Kate rapidly scanned the information which, on the surface, seemed innocuous enough….. a 42 year old single parent with one son, Jordan, who was in year 9 and attending Sulgrave Heath on a full bursary scholarship…..they lived in Harrogate….  
It wasn't until Kate almost reached the end of the file that things became interesting. There was a full copy of her résumé which revealed that the woman had extensive experience with an accountancy firm as well as several qualifications in technology….an IT specialist, in fact, if all were true.  
The cheery sound of Maree's voice telling Kate it was time to go home jolted her back to the realisation that she was venturing where she shouldn't be. Quickly she closed the file and the screen then shut down the computer completely for the day.  
As Kate gathered her things together ready to head for her car she took a quick glance out of the window to see that heavy rain was again falling. She scrummaged in her bag to find her umbrella and then joined the awaiting Maree. Together they walked down the stairs and to the entrance where they both stopped to put up their umbrellas before braving the wet as they each made a dash to their cars.  
"Damn it! Why won't you start?" She felt stupid talking to an inanimate object but her resilience levels were running low.  
Kate thumped her hand on the steering wheel in frustration and tried turning the key in the ignition for the fifth time. Nothing, just the same impotent clicking noise. The idea of being soaked to the skin by the icy rain as she tried to fathom the cause of her mechanical problem didn't appeal to Kate at all. She could phone a mechanic but it could be ages before one arrived and they would be none too happy about working in the rain either.  
After considering her options, Kate decided that she would phone Caroline and ask her to come and rescue her. It was just as she was about to search for Caroline's number that there was a loud tapping on her window, startling her and making her lose her grip on her phone. As she retrieved it from under the seat and with her heart still in her mouth, she looked out to see a man sheltering under a large, black umbrella giving her a smarmy smile and signing for her to wind down her window. It was the same man she had seen arguing with Ms Atwood…..Michael Dobson.  
"Do you want some help?" he asked doing his best impersonation of charming, "I couldn't help but notice that you seem to be having some car trouble."  
"I can't get it to start," Kate replied, puffing air from her cheeks in exasperation.  
"Why don't I give you a lift home? You can have someone look at in the morning when, hopefully, the rain will have cleared. Your car should be safe here overnight."  
Kate contemplated the offer for a moment and then accepted it gratefully. However, she wouldn't get him to take her to her flat at 'McKenzie's Investigations,' that would be giving the game away. He could drop her off nearby and that would give her a chance to talk to him as she had the distinct feeling that he was a significant piece of her particular puzzle but she was unsure as yet as to where exactly he fitted in.  
oooOooo  
As they drove along, Kate managed to garnish quite a deal of background information from Michael Dobson under the ruse of idle chatter…how long he'd been at Sulgrave Heath, his experience, his ambitions. It was barely a challenge as the man quite obviously liked to talk about himself.  
Fearing she would run out of distance, Kate decided to delve more deeply.  
"Do you know what happened to Dr Elliot?... Seems she went on leave quite suddenly and under mysterious circumstances."  
Kate was sure she detected a smirk on the man's face but it disappeared as quickly as it had formed.  
"You have to keep this to yourself, right…"  
Kate nodded. "Sure."  
"She embezzled a large amount of money from school funds…..£100K," Dobson revealed with an unappealing smugness and clearly wanting to impress Kate with his importance at being in on such a secret.  
"No!" Kate replied, feigning shock, "How did you find that out? I'd imagine they'd try and keep that kind of thing quiet."  
Again the smirk. Kate had to control the urge to slap it from his face.  
"My uncle, Brian Wakely, is one of the auditors….he told me."  
"She'll probably go to prison if it's true."  
"Oh it's true…..and they'd want to watch out for her in prison…if they're not careful the evil old harridan will end up running the show….she's a control freak."  
"Pot...kettle….black," Kate couldn't help but think to herself.  
A few yards up ahead Kate could just make out through the now driving rain the outline of the pub near her little flat.  
"You can drop me here if you like….I'm supposed to be meeting someone in there for drinks." She nodded towards the pub.  
Dobson pulled over to the curb to let her out.  
"We should go for drinks or perhaps dinner one evening ourselves if you like," he suggested in a self-assured manner that made Kate think he wouldn't take refusals very well.  
"Sure, that would be lovely," she replied with a sickly sweet smile as she opened the door and her umbrella and prepared to sprint. "When hell freezes over," she added to herself.  
She watched as Dobson's car drove off. When she thought she was out of his view she changed her direction and made for her flat.  
Despite her umbrella, when she finally opened her door and let herself in, her clothes were sodden and her teeth were chattering with cold. She needed a hot shower and then she would phone Caroline and see if she could enlighten her more on this Dobson character.  
oooOooo  
"Michael bloody Dobson….That insidious little prick!…Of course! ….Why didn't I think of him before?" Caroline exclaimed after Kate had given her a run down on her day and her conversation firstly with Margaret Atwood and then with Dobson, deliberately omitting the 'evil old harridan' reference.  
"I don't have any proof yet," Kate added, "at this stage it's just a gut feeling. We shouldn't jump to any conclusions just yet, Caroline."  
"It'll be him," she insisted.  
Kate laughed at Caroline's feistiness…a laugh Caroline didn't detect over the phone.  
"What reason does he have for wanting you fired and possibly sent to gaol?"  
"Because he's an arrogant, narcissistic scrote."  
"Yes…I did pick up on that but it doesn't explain why he wants to essentially destroy your reputation and career."  
"He's a 'climber' and he doesn't take 'no' for an answer very well and I've said my share of 'nos' to him….no, he couldn't have more money for his Hands Across Europe budget….no, he wasn't going to be Head of Department when Mrs Aspinall retires….and absolutely 'no' to Acting Deputy Head when Edward Pemberton takes some leave later in the year," Caroline explained.  
"Mmmm….you've seriously damaged his over-inflated ego haven't you. That would do it."  
"It's him…mark my words."  
"I miss you," Kate offered in a far softer tone, slipping seamlessly from investigator to lover.  
There was a slight pause. Kate's affections often caught Caroline off-guard and completely took her breath away.  
"I miss you too…Don't forget dinner tomorrow night with my mum and Alan."  
"How can I forget?...I'm looking forward to it so much…."  
"Is that sarcasm I'm detecting?"  
"Possibly…just a touch."  
oooOooo  
"It's the battery, love. It's as dead as a doornail," the mechanic informed her. "I'll drop a new one in and she'll be as right as rain."  
"Thanks," Kate replied, grateful for such a simple solution to her car problems at least.  
Kate leant against the driver's side door as she waited for the woman in the grease-stained overalls to disconnect the old battery and replace it with a new one which she'd fetched from the back of her truck. To pass the time, Kate observed the activity around her…..Parents jostling for parking space as they dropped their offspring off for the day predominantly in shiny, new SUVs; a hoard of rowdy students alighting the school bus and wandering in pairs or small groups into the school grounds; teachers, in far less luxurious vehicles, pulling into the car park ready to face yet another day of challenges and varied successes. Like termites marching to their nest, they all made for the buildings and classrooms.  
In amongst it all, Kate noticed Michael Dobson's car, discernible as it was the only new BMW in the lot, pull into the teachers' carpark. He was still in the driver's seat when he was approached on foot but at speed by what looked like a very agitated Margaret Atwood. Although too far away to hear what was being said, it was plain that the conversation was heated.  
"Let's test it," the mechanic suggested, bringing Kate's focus back to her car.  
Kate put the key in the ignition and turned it. Immediately the engine sparked to life.  
"It should be as good as new now. Here's the invoice and if you fix us up in the next couple of days it would be much appreciated," the woman explained as she handed Kate a piece of paper listing the services provided and the costs involved.  
"Thanks….thanks a lot….I'll do that…."Kate replied a little distractedly as she was anxious to see what was happening in the car park.  
As the mechanic backed her truck out and left, Kate turned her attention back to where the BMW was parked and was surprised to see Ms Atwood go around to the other side of Michael Dobson's car and open the door. She was getting in.  
"Why would she do that?" Kate wondered.  
Even more surprisingly the car was reversed out of its parking bay and driven towards the road it had originally come down.  
Where were they going? Why was she with him?  
Wanting answers, Kate turned the key in the ignition, happy to hear the engine instantly turn over and she too drove towards the exit where she turned left as Dobson had done. She hadn't driven too far when she spotted his car up ahead. Now she needed to concentrate on maintaining contact with it but not have her presence detected.  
Several times, while the traffic was heavy, she thought she had lost them but as they turned into a quieter area, a Leyland Rd she noted, Kate could see the BMW maybe 100 yards in front. Now that she had sight of them she drove more slowly and kept her distance as there were fewer cars to act as cover. Eventually it pulled over outside a neat terrace house which Kate guessed from the newness of everything had recently been renovated. Pulling in behind another parked car, Kate watched as Dobson led the way to the front door which he opened with a key. He allowed Ms Atwood to enter first and then, after taking a quick look around, closed the door behind them.  
With only her gut instinct telling her it all felt wrong as an excuse, Kate left her car and walked the short distance to the house. She stepped over the low gate rather than risk opening it and having its noise perhaps give her presence away. The windows at the front of the house were all shielded by heavy curtains so Kate headed down the narrow path at the side of the house giving her best impression to anyone looking on that she was meant to be there. As she made her way towards the back of the house she began to make out voices from inside until, at the very end of the house, she was close enough that the voices were quite loud and the words very clear.  
"I can't do this anymore!" said the faltering voice that belonged to Ms Atwood, "you said she'd lose her job but you didn't mention that she'd likely go to prison! I can't have that on my conscience."  
"She won't go to prison…probably….possibly…. if she gives all the money back….and if she does go to prison it will only be for a short spell." Plainly Michael Dobson's smarmy tones.  
"She has family…sons….I don't know why I let you talk me into this in the first place?"  
"Because you have a son too who relies on a scholarship to go to Sulgrave Heath….Remember?" Dobson's voice was becoming more slippery and threatening. "What are you planning to do?"  
"I'm going to go to the police and explain everything that has happened to them…including how you blackmailed me to do this."  
Kate heard Dobson give a snide laugh.  
"You'll be the only one who will end up in prison in that case….I'll deny any knowledge of the matter…and it's only your word against mine….and as far as the police are concerned, you'll be the sole perpetrator of any crime."  
There was a small window a little further along that Kate thought she would be able to use to see safely into the kitchen but to get to it she needed to pass a glass door and risk being seen herself so instead she stood flat against the bricks and continued to listen.  
"I don't know what you're worried about….the stupid bitch deserves to go to prison," Dobson added, his mood becoming increasingly agitated.  
"You're mad….I don't know why I'm just seeing this now but it's quite obvious that you are stark, raving mad!"  
Suddenly there was an unsettling silence. Her nerves tingling, Kate risked a look through the glass door and was horrified to see Ms Atwood trapped in the corner of the kitchen and Michael Dobson with his back to Kate, standing only a few feet from Ms Atwood with a large knife in his hand.  
Ducking back out of sight, Kate whipped her phone out of her pocket and dialled the three nines. In a whisper, although it sounded dangerously loud to her own ears, she explained to the person at the other end of the line what was happening. Assistance was dispatched immediately.  
oooOooo  
"A knife?...I don't believe it...Did he hurt her?" an incredulous Caroline inquired.  
"No…I don't think he really intended to go through with anything but who knows….if pushed far enough, he might have," Kate explained, "fortunately the police arrived before that happened."  
"And he was holding her son's scholarship over her head, threatening to withdraw it?"  
"Mmmm…the son's marks weren't up to scratch which Dobson was using as leverage."  
Kate was helping Caroline put the final touches to the dinner preparations.  
"And Beverley...Did he really push her down the stairs deliberately?"  
"He needed to get Ms Atwood access to the school's systems so she could do her thing...it was convenient to get Beverley out of the way and have her job available."  
Caroline shook her head in disbelief.  
"What's going to happen….."  
Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a car pulling into the drive.  
"That'll be them….are you ready?" Caroline asked as she ran a final eye over everything to make sure it was perfect and then finally looked up at Kate with an expression that seemed to be an apology for putting her through all of this.  
"As ready as I'll ever be," she replied with a nervous smile.  
Caroline headed for the front door while Kate chose to remain in the kitchen taking a large, fortifying gulp of her wine as she waited for the impending meeting.  
"Dinner's ready to be served," she heard Caroline announce as she led her mother and Alan into the dining room and where Kate too, decided she should probably head as there was no pointing putting off the inevitable any longer. Best to get it over and done with.  
As Caroline was escorting the couple to the dining room, Kate appeared in the doorway. Determined to be brave and not let her mother get the better of her, Caroline immediately went to Kate and held out a hand to her, drawing her to her side.  
"Mum…Alan…I would like you to meet Kate…Kate McKenzie….my partner."  
Kate gave them her warmest smile as she reached out a hand to Alan which he took eagerly in both of his own and gave a firm shake.  
"Hello, love," he said, returning her smile with one of his own.  
Celia greeted her also but less enthusiastically. All the while Caroline held Kate comfortingly close.  
With the formalities over, Caroline invited everyone to take a seat at the table while she served the first course, declining Kate's offer of assistance and suggesting that she stay and pour the wine instead.  
As they sat at the table waiting for Caroline, Alan took the initiative and broke the ice.  
"Caroline tells us you're a private investigator….that must be exciting."  
"It can be…too exciting at times…." Kate replied, happy to converse on a familiar topic, "but most of the time it's a lot of researching or sitting around watching and waiting for things to happen….not quite as adventurous as people like to think….it's like a puzzle, finding the pieces and putting them in the right position…."  
Placing the last plate on the table, Caroline rested a reassuring hand on Kate's shoulder for a brief moment before taking the seat beside her, a gesture that didn't escape Celia.  
"Where's Lawrence?" Celia asked as everyone began eating.  
"He's over at Angus' place working on an assignment supposedly…he's sleeping over.  
Although there was some initial reservedness and wariness, on Celia's part mostly, by the time Caroline served up the main course and Kate had topped up the wine one more time, the conversation began to flow more freely and the atmosphere relaxed considerably. With reluctance, Celia admitted to herself that this Kate did appear to be as lovely as Caroline had suggested and she could plainly see that she certainly made her daughter happy.  
However, as Celia often tended to do, she threw the cat in amongst the pigeons.  
"And what about John? Is he still around?" Celia inquired noting but disregarding the dark look she received from her daughter.  
"I've no idea where John is," Caroline answered, disappointed that mother had resorted to bringing up the topic of her recalcitrant ex-husband but she was determined to not to give Celia the satisfaction of letting it ruffle her feathers. "He comes and goes of his own free will."  
"Why is he even here?" Celia persisted.  
"Because he's got nowhere else to go….he's broke and until we sell the house…."  
As if the mention of his name was enough to summon him forth, Caroline's explanation was cut short by the arrival of the man himself, dishevelled and drunk. Caroline cringed as she could see her well-planned evening turning into her worst nightmare….an ex-husband, a girlfriend and an opinionated mother all in one room. Was she mad?  
Without being invited, John pulled out the vacant chair at the head of the table and sat himself down. Then, as if realising for the first time that Caroline had guests, he gave Celia and Alan a polite hello.  
Not one to be deliberately impolite, Alan acknowledged him with a brief nod of the head. Celia, however, gave him a look as though he was something unpleasant stuck to the bottom of her shoe.  
Kate said a quiet 'hello, John' which he chose to ignore.  
"Will someone pour me a glass?" he demanded rather loudly.  
As Kate motioned to oblige, Caroline gently grasped her hand indicating for her not to bother.  
Keeping a cool head, Caroline replied, "Don't you think you've had enough to drink? If you want a glass you'll have to get it yourself."  
To break the tension and draw the focus away from the mess that was John, Celia stood and started to collect the dishes off the table. Caroline went to assist her but Celia was adamant that she was fine on her own and headed for the kitchen. Kate followed close behind on the pretext of fetching another bottle of wine. She carried some plates in with her.  
"Oh, thank you, love," Celia said as she took the dishes from Kate and started arranging them in the dishwasher.  
"Can we have a word?" Kate asked tentatively.  
"Go on then…." Celia replied as she busily shuffled dishes around.  
"I realise that Caroline and I…well, it must have come as a bit of a shock to you," Kate began, "but I want you to know that I really do care about her….love her…I would do anything for her…"  
Celia stopped her fussing with the dishwasher and looked up at Kate's worried face.  
"As I said to Caroline, I may have over-reacted initially and possibly I've been a bit blinkered," Celia conceded, her tone and expression unexpectedly warm, "and I won't pretend to understand it ….but it is very clear how happy she is….how much happier she is than when she was with that idiot husband of hers…he's such a complete waste of space…."  
Suddenly Celia's eyes lit up and a devilish grin spread across her face.  
"Are you up for a bit of mischief?" Celia asked in a more hushed voice as she moved in closer to Kate.  
"What?"  
Celia rummaged around in one of the kitchen drawers until she came up with two thin metal skewers.  
"Come with me."  
Celia silently led the way to the front door. A bewildered Kate followed close on her heels. Being careful not to make a sound, Celia opened the front door letting them both out before closing it again, not wanting a draft of cold air give them away.  
"What are we doing?" Kate asked again with a brief shiver. The night air was certainly had a bite to it.  
"Watch," she whispered as she made for John's car.  
"We're not?" Kate laughed as she caught on to Celia's plan.  
Celia handed Kate one of the skewers. "You do the back tyres, I'll do the front," she instructed.  
With the job done, Celia and Kate crept back in the door and were heading to the kitchen when they were bailed up by Caroline who had become suspicious at their prolonged absence. She had been prepared to possibly rescue Kate from her mother's tacit tongue. She hadn't expected to find them in cahoots and up to no good.  
"What have you two been up to?" Caroline asked in her best Head Teacher mode.  
Celia and Kate looked at each other with conspiratorial grins and then at Caroline.  
"Nothing," replied Celia innocently, "I was just showing Kate the azaleas in the garden."  
Caroline raised a questioning eyebrow in Kate's direction.  
Kate managed to maintain her composure and not give away the game as she added, "They're really lovely."  
"Where's Alan?" Celia inquired, quickly redirecting the conversation.  
"He's in the dining room stuck talking with….well, listening to John. Maybe we should rescue him," Caroline suggested.  
A look of sheer relief came across Alan's face at the return of the three women.  
"John, you need to stop talking now," Caroline firmly advised, "you're making Alan's ears bleed."  
"What? I am not," John replied testily. Highly offended by Caroline's suggestion that he was boring Alan, John pushed back his chair, almost overbalancing, and stood to leave.  
"I'm not staying around here to be insulted by you, you mad, old dyke."  
"Oi…watch yourself," Alan warned.  
Caroline put her hand on Alan's shoulder and whispered, "It's alright, Alan." She then directed her comments to John. "You're too drunk to drive so you'd better stay here in the spare room….Mum and Alan are in the flat tonight."  
"I'm not staying here while you and your insipid, little girlfriend do whatever it is you do…What exactly is it you do…?"  
"Fine….whatever."  
John picked up his car keys that had fallen from his pocket and strode unsteadily to the front door and his car. Caroline followed to see him off. Kate and Celia looked dubiously at one another and then followed hurriedly behind as well, arriving by Caroline's side at the same time John realised that all of his tyres were flat.  
"Shit!…Shit!…Shit!"  
Caroline took one look at the tyres and rapidly put two and two together. She gave both her mother and her girlfriend a knowing glare tempered with an amused grin.  
"John, please don't use that language in front of my mother."  
John shot her a nasty sneer. Although he was sure that they had something to do with this, he also knew he'd never prove it and they'd never own up.  
"Now what am I supposed to do? I'm not staying here!" he raged stubbornly.  
"Wait in your car and I'll call you a taxi," Caroline suggested calmly.  
Once inside and with the door shut behind them, all three women took one look at each other and broke into gales of laughter.  
Hearing the uproar, Alan went to see what all the fuss was about.  
"What's so funny?" he asked innocently which started another round of laughter.  
oooOooo  
Epilogue  
With her name well and truly cleared by the confession of Ms Margaret Atwood and the arrest of Michael Dobson, Caroline arrived at Sulgrave Heath Independent School bright and early on Thursday morning and was soon back in her stride.  
Kate spent a fair portion of her day at the Harrogate Police Station compiling her statement and giving her account of what she had discovered and what she had overheard.  
That evening they met at Caroline's place for an informal dinner made up of leftovers from the previous night as well as the remains of a bottle of red wine. Lawrence had finished his meal and subsequently disappeared to the living room to watch the television. Kate and Caroline lingered at the table a little longer, chatting and slowly sipping their wine.  
As Caroline finished sharing out the final few drops of the wine that were in the bottle she raised her glass.  
"Here's a toast to John."  
"John? Why John?" asked a confused Kate.  
"Because, ironically, if he hadn't been philandering around with other women…Judith… we would never have met," Caroline explained.  
"Oh, I see," Kate laughed and then joined in with a toast of her own, "To the philandering husband."  
As Kate rattled the last of the dishes into place in the dishwasher and Caroline completed one final wipe of her kitchen benchtops the two women were inextricably drawn into a loose embrace, clear blue eyes capturing soft brown.  
"I want to ask you…." they both began simultaneously.  
"You go first," Caroline offered.  
"Alright, but do you want to go upstairs and we can discuss it in bed?" Kate suggested as she noticed the lateness of the hour.  
With a mischievous glint to her eye and a playful grin, Caroline leant forward slightly and brushed Kate's lips teasingly with her own before leading her wordlessly and willingly up the stairs to her bedroom.  
Caroline closed the bedroom door behind them and turned on a single lamp which gave off a pale light, the shadows showing up the loveliness of her partner's features better than bright daylight ever could. It took all of their willpower to not simply succumb to the ever-present urge to forge their bodies and hearts together with the passion that melded their souls.  
Instead, they made a concerted effort to stay at least at arm's length as they went about their ablutions before slipping, naked and wanting, between the crisp sheets.  
Determined to say what she wanted to say, Kate ignored the heat emanating from Caroline's body as it pressed against her, the fabulous weight of the woman's legs tangled around her own and the scorch of her hand reaching around her waist, pulling her closer as they both lay propped up on a pile of plumped pillows, face to face.  
"What was it you wanted to discuss?" Caroline asked, the soft, senuous sound of her voice and the seductive gaze which held Kate's face going nowhere to appeasing the sexual tension that was stretched taut between them.  
"You mentioned earlier about us living together," Kate began. "If you're serious about that…"  
"I am…..Kate, I truly want to spend the rest of my life with you."  
"I have some money put aside…quite a bit in fact…and I'd like to use it to help you buy out John's share of this place so we can live together here…or we could find somewhere else….I don't care."  
Astounded by the generous offer, Caroline sat up so she could look Kate directly in the eye.  
"Really?" Caroline asked with a considerable amount of disbelief.  
"Really," Kate confirmed with a soft laugh, amused by Caroline's surprise.  
With no words to express her delight, Caroline grasped Kate's face in both hands and planted an enthusiastic kiss on Kate's wonderful mouth…a kiss they only relinquished when they needed to surface for air.  
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Caroline couldn't help but ask once again, half-afraid that it may have been a spur of the moment thing that she was already regretting.  
"I haven't rushed into this, Caroline. I've thought it through and done the figures and ….it's what I want to do."  
"Thank you…" were the only words Caroline could manage to get out through the lump of emotion constricting her voice.  
"What was it that you wanted to ask me?"  
Caroline ran her hand through her hair, closed her eyes and took a deep breath, hoping to summon the right words.  
"This is equally….."  
"What?"  
"Okay….do you remember that night when I turned up at yours…when we'd bumped into each other at the restaurant after …and we made….you know…?."  
"Yeah."  
"I was so happy that night….and now that we are planning to live together….buy a house together…"  
Caroline reached a hand under her pillow and drew out a small, ivory-coloured box which, when she opened it, Kate, to her complete astonishment, could see that it contained a stunning, platinum engagement ring with a single, dazzling diamond as its centre piece.  
"Perhaps we should….shall….Why don't we get married….properly….married."

 

A/N: 'That's a wrap' as they say in the movies. I always thought that Michael 'Bloody' Dobson was a nasty piece of work and had it in for our Caroline. I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it.


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